Your Guide to Equine Health Care

How to Keep Your Horse’s Joints Healthy

Learn about preventing and managing equine osteoarthritis in our visual guide. Sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim.
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How to Keep Your Horse's Joints Healthy

How to Keep Your Horse's Joints Healthy
Osteoarthritis (OA, degenerative and progressive joint disease) is a significant cause of pain and reduced performance in horses commonly caused by musculoskeletal trauma from natural, repetitive concussion in the lower limbs. Any horse is at risk of developing OA, but aging, diet, obesity, joint injury, and genetics can increase the chances of disease.

2 processes can initiate inflammation and cause osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a whole-joint disease. Keeping horses’ joints healthy and managing OA requires a multimodal approach. Addressing conformation defects (using strengthening exercises and corrective shoeing, for example), training strategies, and weight go a long way toward reducing joint trauma and inflammation.

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The Horse: Your Guide To Equine Health Care is an equine publication providing the latest news and information on the health, care, welfare, and management of all equids.

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