Stiffness in (older) horses is often caused by osteoarthritis. This is a condition where (chronic) inflammation occurs in the joints. Cartilage loss occurs, leading to a reduction in joint cushioning. This often makes movement initially painful, and a horse with osteoarthritis needs to 'warm up'. Only after a longer and cautious warm-up do the joints have enough lubrication to move smoothly. Osteoarthritis can also cause changes in bone structure in a more advanced stage.

How does osteoarthritis develop?

Osteoarthritis is usually seen as a result of aging and wear and tear of the joints. Wear and tear accelerates if a horse is overweight or trained very intensively, unilaterally, or repetitively. Training on poor surfaces can accelerate wear and tear. But also, crooked feet, poor leg positions, or problems elsewhere in a horse's body can cause osteoarthritis. A horse will then compensate for the misalignment or try to prevent pain, developing a movement pattern that causes wear and tear in other areas. A good farrier, a good saddle, and, if necessary, the involvement of a physiotherapist, chiropractor, or osteopath can help reduce or slow down the development of osteoarthritis.

Preventing osteoarthritis and stiffness

Some stiffness comes with aging, but you can keep your horse supple for as long as possible. This can be achieved by managing and training your horse well. Consider:

• Keeping the horse at a healthy weight
• Not overtraining the horse or working on a heavy surface
• Not training endlessly the same things every day
• Not letting the horse trot too much or on the forehand
• Providing ample free movement in pasture or paddock

Nutrition and osteoarthritis

Although there is no specific horse feed that can prevent osteoarthritis, there are certain things you can do with nutrition to minimize the risk as much as possible or slow down the development of osteoarthritis. Firstly, your horse's feed should be tailored to its breed, age, and workload. Horses used for light sports or recreation usually have enough good forage and a balancer pellet for daily vitamins and minerals. Horse owners often tend to give them treats or extras, but in the long run, most horses are not happy with large amounts of muesli, pellets, or other concentrates. Foods containing high amounts of sugars and fillers burden your horse's system, increasing the likelihood of inflammation. Sufficient omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) in your horse's diet help combat inflammation, including in the joints. EPA and DHA work favorably in inflammation because they suppress the inflammatory signaling molecules in the blood and improve the composition of the cell membrane. Salmon oil is a good source of these fatty acids.

Supplements?

In addition to healthy nutrition, good management, and sufficient exercise, you can also use various supplements to support your horse's joints. There is a wide range of supplements on the market, so sometimes it can be difficult to determine what works and what doesn't. Many horses have a deficiency in silicon or other minerals. This can manifest itself, among other things, by licking sand. When choosing a supplement, it is important that it is easily absorbed by your horse and actually works in the right place. Horses have a unique digestive system, and the form in which you give a mineral or other supplement often makes a big difference. Some compounds are not absorbed at all, while others must go through three conversion steps before a small amount of active substance remains. In both cases, such a supplement is often a waste of money and effort.

Silicon and other minerals

Therefore, always opt for easily absorbable supplements containing an active ingredient. Hydrolyzed silicon, for example. This is an excellent absorbable form of silicon that is directly absorbed into the cells. Silicon stimulates the production of natural glucosamine in the body, allowing the horse to make its bone tissue, tendons, muscles, connective tissue, cartilage, and joint fluid. This works much better than feeding a powdered form of glucosamine, which is often poorly absorbed and does not always reach the intended location. Silicon is a beneficial supplement for all horses. It is necessary for the growth of foals and yearlings, for recovery in sport horses, and for keeping older horses supple. In addition, trace elements and other minerals are important. Due to the poor soils in the Netherlands, these minerals are often not present or not sufficiently present in the hay. A mineral supplement based on seawater from the North Sea can be useful for this. You can add it to a bucket of drinking water, and then horses can choose if they need it. Most horses enjoy drinking this.

Combat joint pain?

If your horse is stiff and has difficulty getting started, it can be helpful to provide extra support for the joints, in addition to supplementing minerals. Herbs such as turmeric, boswellia, horsetail, black currant, field horsetail, and bamboo work well for this. A herbal extract of these plants ensures that small crystals of uric acid, which can accumulate in the joints, are dissolved. The horse can move better again once these sharp and painful crystals have disappeared. They are caused by stress and exertion and accumulate over time, especially when a horse is in full training. If your horse has osteoarthritis, it may be a good idea to treat the inflammation in the joints. For this purpose, cannabinoids out of clove are very suitable. These plant substances have a signaling function in the body. They have anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects.