Some injuries are fatal for a horse due to non-recovery or severe joint pain. Fortunately, many injuries allow full recovery. However, many horses fall between these extremes—they are too worn out, too old, or too injured to work, yet too important to say goodbye. These horses often suffer from chronic conditions like hoof pulley inflammation, spatter (hock joint osteoarthritis), or spondylosis (back joint osteoarthritis).

What is osteoarthritis in horses? 

A joint consists of bones, cartilage and synovial fluid (joint fluid). Osteoarthritis is not damage to the bone but to cartilage. The function of cartilage is to reduce friction and to relax movement between bones in a joint. Healthy cartilage is smooth and resilient, but osteoarthritis cartilage is rough and stiff. This causes an inflammation, and the body starts to form new bone in response because it cannot produce new cartilage. When a horse forms a new bone, nerves may become trapped, which causes joint pain and even paralysis. The inflammation associated with osteoarthritis can be treated and withdrawn, so that the horse feels less pain. The symptoms of osteoarthritis can be treated in part, but osteoarthritis cannot be cured. 

What are the causes of osteoarthritis?  

• Wrong movements and Overload  
  Monotonous movements continually strain the same joints. For example, dressage horses that train repetitive head/neck positions and exercises considerably increases the risk of wear and tear.
• Overweight  
  Extra kilos put more strain on horse joints, which increases the risk of joint pain and osteoarthritis. 
• Trauma 
  A horse can suffer damage to the cartilage in the event of a fall or injury. 
• Hereditary tax  
  Horses diseases are hereditary, which means that there may already be a defect in the horse’s DNA, making them prone to osteoarthritis without another cause.
• Wear due to age  
  It is normal for old horses to have a little wear, this is why old horses often walk a bit stiff and have trouble getting up. 

Management of a horse with joint pain from ‘wear and tear’

Make sure the horse is not on the trail, can move freely, and have a blanket during the winter. In addition, appropriate nutrition is vital to alleviate joint pain. The Hartog Senior is specially tailored to the needs of an old horse with wear or other discomfort. A herbal blend has been added to this food that is slightly analgesic and therefore mood-enhancing.