Q. My retired senior horse often seems stiff, especially when he’s been in his stall for any length of time. Is there a supplement I can give him to ease stiffness in a senior horse’s joints?

A. Omega-3 fatty acids in your senior horse’s diet can be very beneficial for their joints, so that would be things like fish oil or flax oil. Fish oils are the best animal source of omega-3 fatty acids, while flax oil is the best plant source. Both have been shown in several research studies to help with stiffness and lameness in horses. The avocado extracts have been shown also to help with that, so I’m a big fan of omega-3 fatty acids to help with inflammation and lameness.

A glucosamine chondroitin supplement can also be beneficial for stiff senior horses. Supplements with higher amounts of hyaluronic acid in them can also help with joint lubrication. I would recommend joint supplements with these components for senior horses with stiff joints as a first line of defense.

Once the horse has started showing signs of stiffness or lameness, it might be too late for a supplement to make a dramatic difference. However, synovitis (inflammation of the joint capsule) can occur without the horse having osteoarthritis, which would affect the bone itself and where the ligaments and tendons insert. Horses with synovitis are more likely to respond to Omega-3s and other supplements, but changes in bone are harder to manage nutritionally.