Joint care is important all year round but especially in winter. Proactive joint management will help ensure your horse has mobility and overall health this winter .
It is essential to manage your horse’s joints to minimise daily wear and tear and limit potential problems. A proactive approach when it comes to your horse’s joints will ensure your horse to remain mobile, healthy and able to perform at their best this winter.
Winter Issues
In the normal day to day life of a horse, the joint cartilage is continually being broken down and replacement cartilage is being manufactured. However, this balance can be upset in winter due to increased training, trauma, competition or simply old age. Other contributing factors can be diet, body condition, training regime, ground conditions as well as fitness level and muscle tone.
Joint stiffness is commonplace owing to restricted turnout and limited exercise thanks to shorter daylight and poor weather conditions in winter.
Joint Management
Careful management of your horse’s joints throughout winter will help maintain mobility and performance, here are some top tips:
- Turnout as much as possible to ensure natural joint movement
- Ensure regular exercise and movement to encourage blood flow and keep joints supple
- Make sure to utilise effective warm-up and cool down at exercise to avoid excess friction
- Practice weight management so no excess strain on joints through extra body weight
- Follow a balanced nutritional program to support the natural regeneration of cartilage
Nutritional Support
Joint supplements have been developed to provide targeted nutrition that supports healthy, functioning joints and easy mobility. Arthri Aid Equine Joint Mobility Supplement has been formulated to aid the lubrication and help to promote regeneration of shock absorbing tissues of your horse’s joints. Arthri Aid contains the following for joint health:
- Glucosamine – an amino acid that assists in the body’s manufacture of cartilage
- Chondroitin – which assists in lubrication and shock absorption of the joints
- MSM – a naturally occurring sulphur compound which helps soothe knocks and improve joint mobility
- Hyaluronic Acid (HA)- is the principle constituent of Synovial Fluid, natures ‘oil for joints’
To conclude, wintertime is a challenging time for your horse’s joints. However, with careful management and nutritional support, equine joint health can be achieved for mobility and comfort for your horse this winter. For more information, please contact a member of our expert team on +353 (0)51 304 010 or here.
