While dietary CLA did not appear to reduce inflammation in yearlings’ knees following induction, synovial fluid analysis showed signs of reduced cartilage degradation and improved cartilage regeneration compared to controls. | Photo: iStock

Regardless of whether it’s affecting your horse, your dog, or you, arthritis is a pain … in every sense of the word. From the physical discomfort it causes (it’s the leading equine lameness cause) to the fact that there’s no cure (only management options) arthritis is a root of frustration for many horse owners around the world.

Researchers know that some nutritional solutions can help reduce inflammation help to combat osteoarthritis’ effects, including omega-3 fatty acids and glucosamine, but what if there was a better way to manage it, or even delay arthritis onset in young horses in the first place? Amanda Bradbery, a graduate student in Texas A&M University’s Department of Animal Science, and colleagues recently sought to find out whether dietary conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) could benefit horses with arthritis.

“Articular cartilage is slow to regenerate following trauma or overloading of a joint, ultimately leading to osteoarthritis in adulthood,” Bradbery said. “Due to this slow repair process, we have chosen to focus our efforts on reducing inflammation and shifting cartilage metabolism in young horses with the hope of delaying the onset of osteoarthritis. CLA has shown promise in reducing inflammation in other species, therefore, we wished to apply this to the horse