Proactively Preventing And Managing Equine Arthritis
If you have a horse that is aging and you are worried about them developing equine arthritis, then you are right to be concerned. By the time most horses reach middle-age they start to show signs of arthritis. However, the good news is that you can proactively delay the onset of equine arthritis. If your horse eventually develops arthritis, then you can take steps to manage it and delay future progression of the disease.
To keep your horse's joints healthy as they age, follow these suggestions:
Take Proactive Action to Delay the Onset of Equine Arthritis
Your horse's hooves are directly responsible for the correct alignment and function of many of its joints. Horses that have hooves that are not balanced or well trimmed will have progressive problems with their leg and back joints. For this reason, it is vital that you have your horse's feet regularly trimmed and balanced by a skilled farrier.
If your horse is a working animal or spends a lot of idle time in the pasture and has gained some extra weight, then you should supplement them with a joint health compound approved by your veterinarian (Clovis Veterinary Hospital P A is a great choice).
Effectively Manage Existing Equine Arthritis Symptoms
Once your horse has started to show the signs of stiff and sore arthritic joints, then it is vital that you correctly reduce your horse's discomfort to protect the joints from future damage. You can accomplish this by:
- gently and regularly exercising your horse
- avoid running, jumping, or sharp turns on your horse
- keeping your horse at a healthy weight
- keeping your horse in a stall at night and during cold weather
Gentile exercise is very important for your horse because it stimulates cartridge lubrication and health. In addition, mild exercise helps keep ligaments strong to keep joints in proper alignment.
Slow Down the Future Progression of Equine Arthritis and Keep Your Horse Healthy
Finally, if your horse is struggling with arthritis and needs daily intervention, then you can help them by:
- installing corrective shoeing
- using hot, cold, and compression wraps
- rub sore joints with a warming liniment
Corrective shoes help to re-balance and realign your horse's feet to take pressure off of sore arthritic joints. Using hot wraps and warming liniments helps to relax the ligaments around the arthritic joints to keep them from becoming too stiff. And, finally, using cold wraps and compression wraps will reduce the inflammation that leads to joint pain.
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