Glucosamine - Supplement to help  relieve arthritis in horses

Glucosamine can help to maintain flexible joints in a dressage horseEquine Glucosamine supplements are widely recommended by vets  to be fed to horses with arthritis and conditions such as bone spavin.

Glucosamine is a naturally occuring compound found in cartilage and other connective tissues in a horse's body. It  is used by the horse to maintain and repair cartilage in its joints. It also plays an important part in controlling the inflammatory processes.

Glucosamine  is a type of sugar, produced in the body from glucose together with glutamine - an amino acid.

As a horse gets older its natural production of glucosamine slows down - feeding a supplement can help protect a horse from the consequences of this ageing process.

USE OF GLUCOSAMINE FOR OSTEOARTHRITIS IN A HORSE

In osteoarthritis in a horse or pony the cartilage which cushions the joints loses its elasticity and becomes stiff.

This loss of elasticity in a horse's joint makes it more prone to damage as it loses that protection.

This can lead swelling, pain and result in further deterioration, loss of movement and lameness.

If a glucosamine supplement is added to a horse's feed on a regular basis, production of cartilage within the joint is stimulated.

This can slow down the deterioration of the joint and in many cases an improvement in the horse's movement is seen.

HOW MUCH GLUCOSAMINE SHOULD YOU FEED TO A HORSE?

It is generally recommended by vets that it is best to feed a horse that has osteoarthritis at least 10 grams of glucosamine a day.

This can be increased - very good results have been seen with a daily dose of 30 grams.

WHICH GLUCOSAMINE SUPPLEMENT SHOULD YOU FEED

Glucosamine supplements  often also contain chondroitin sulfate which gives the cartilage elasticity and/or methylsulfonylmethane (MSM). These combinations of ingredients help to provide the maximum benefit.

Please consider the source when choosing a glucosamine supplement - some supplements are manufactured using shark’s cartilage despite all species of sharks being under threat.

Sources of glucosamine such as shellfish are ethically produced, sustainable and as effective as shark’s cartilage.

 Glucosamine - how to feed supplement to relieve osteoarthritis and arthritis in Horses

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