{"id":7386,"date":"2020-02-01T14:29:45","date_gmt":"2020-02-01T14:29:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/unitedkingdom\/?p=7386"},"modified":"2024-09-03T08:37:37","modified_gmt":"2024-09-03T08:37:37","slug":"joint-health-in-horses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/","title":{"rendered":"Joint Health in Horses"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Whether your horse jumps, piaffes or\r\nhacks, their joints keep them moving. And healthy joints lie at the heart of a\r\nsound horse that is able to compete and remain active well into old age. In\r\nthis post we look at what makes up a healthy joint and what you can do to help\r\nensure your horse\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s joints remain in excellent shape. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Types of joints in horses<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

There are three types of joints\r\nwithin your horses\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 body –  fibrous or\r\n\u00e2\u20ac\u02dcfixed\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 joints, cartilaginous and synovial. The synovial joints are the ones\r\nthat provide movement and horses have 18 of them spread throughout the skeleton.\r\nProviding these joints with the right nutrition and care throughout your horses\u00e2\u20ac\u2122\r\nlife is essential to maintain joint function and performance and minimize\r\ninjury and a good place to start is knowing what the joint needs to remain\r\nhealthy.  <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

So, what makes a healthy joint?<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\"joint<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Every synovial joint in your horses\u00e2\u20ac\u2122\r\nbody contains two bony ends. These ends are covered by articular cartilage –\r\nwhich is a type of connective tissue – and encased within a joint capsule.    The\r\ninner layer of the joint capsule (called the \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcsynovial membrane\u00e2\u20ac\u2122) secretes\r\nsynovial fluid which provides cushioning and prevents friction between the\r\njoint structures, and the outer layer helps to support and stabilise the joint.\r\nThe synovial fluid within the joint also nourishes the joint cartilage. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Cartilage provides protection and\r\nshock absorption for joints, but slow wearing over the years can cause it to\r\nbreak down and this is when inflammation, stiffness and pain can start to\r\noccur.  It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s important to realize that\r\nthe joint should be thought of as a whole organ, with key relationships between\r\ncartilage, bone and synovial fluid, where the synovial fluid supplies the vital\r\nnutrients for the joint to remain healthy and functioning well. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Synovial fluid contains a combination\r\nof different compounds, all of which are integral to joint health. A major\r\ncomponent is hyaluronic acid, which is a type of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) made\r\nup of a carbohydrate and attached to a protein backbone. Hyaluronic acid\r\ntogether with a type of protein called lubricin helps to give synovial fluid\r\nits viscosity. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Hyaluronic acid is also present in articular\r\ncartilage, which contains a matrix of collagen, proteoglycans and water.\r\nProteoglycans help the cartilage become elastic and strong and are made up of\r\nchains of GAGs and incorporate chondroitin and keratin sulphate. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Maintenance of these joint\r\nconstituents is essential for healthy joints, and healthier joints are less\r\nsusceptible to stress, so it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s important to ensure you support them with the\r\nright care and management, which includes: <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Providing a balanced diet <\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

One of the most important nutrients\r\nfor joints is glucose, which is normally abundant in the horses\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 diet from\r\ngrass and hay. Glucose provides the basis for building GAGs and proteoglycans.\r\nProtein is needed for proteoglycans and collagen, so ensuring your horse is\r\ngetting a good supply of all their essential amino acids will help build the\r\nprotein needed for good joint integrity. Essential amino acids can be provided\r\nthrough feeding a nutritious balancer, or from a suitable complete feed fed at\r\nthe recommended levels, along with good quality forage.  <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Joints also require certain\r\nmicronutrients to provide the basis to maintain and support good joint health\r\nand integrity. Calcium and phosphorus help to contribute to the joints\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 mineral\r\npool and are key constituents of bone, but they need to be supplied in the diet\r\nat the correct ratio of 2:1 (calcium to phosphorus) to ensure bones stay strong\r\nand healthy. Strong, healthy bones mean less stress on joints and healthier,\r\nwell-functioning joints. Other essential minerals include copper, zinc and\r\nsulphur which are all important in the formation and defence of cartilage.\r\nImportant vitamins for joint and bone health include Vitamin A, D and B Vitamins.\r\nProviding a forage rich diet with a high specification balancer or correct\r\nlevels of a fortified complete feed, will help supply these key micronutrients\r\nat the right balance for optimum joint health. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Additionally, antioxidants such as vitamin\r\nC and vitamin E are key for helping to combat damage to joints. Horses\r\ngenerally synthesise their own vitamin C, but those with compromised joint\r\nhealth may not be making enough, and in these cases a vitamin C boost in the form\r\nof a supplement can be beneficial. Vitamin E is present in fresh grass but like\r\nother essential micronutrients can also be supplied through a good balancer or\r\ncomplete feed. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Manage Weight<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Managing your horse\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s weight is\r\npotentially the most important thing you can do to support healthier joints.\r\nExtra weight puts extra pressure on joints, and when there is increased\r\npressure on joints they can be subject to trauma and damage, the effects of\r\nwhich are often irreversible and will lead to pain, stiffness, lameness and arthritis.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Regular use of a weight tape and body\r\ncondition scoring chart (BCS) is essential to help manage your horse\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s weight\r\nand ensuring that they stay somewhere between 5 and 6 on a 9-point BCS chart\r\nwill help maintain a healthy weight which doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t compromise joint health. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Provide correct nutritional support <\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Joint supplements containing\r\nglucosamine, chondroitin sulphate and hyaluronic acid are thought to help\r\npromote healthier joints because they provide key joint requirements in a\r\nreadily available form to help promote integrity and reduce inflammation.  However, to offer any potential benefits,\r\nthese nutrients need to get into the synovial fluid itself.  Research has shown that quite often they do\r\nnot reach the joint and as a result they often don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have any positive effects\r\non joint health. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s also important to consider that each of these compounds\r\ncan be made in the horse\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s joint, if the basic nutrients are already in place\r\nfrom a balanced diet. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Omega 3 fatty acids are known for\r\ntheir anti-inflammatory properties and a good way of helping to prevent damage\r\nto joints is to help control inflammatory processes within the joint.  Making sure the diet provides higher levels\r\nof omega 3 than omega 6 fatty acids may help control inflammation to support\r\nbetter joint health.  Research has shown\r\nthat omega 3 fatty acids do reach the synovial fluid, so they have good\r\npotential.  Linseed meal is a great\r\nsource of omega 3 fatty acids and may be a useful addition to the diet for\r\nhealthier joints. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Add some\r\nHomeopathic help<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

With key homeopathic ingredients to help provide relief from inflammation, pain and stiffness, EquioPathics Joint Stress<\/a><\/strong> will help support stressed joints. EquioPathics Joint Stress<\/a><\/strong> promotes temporary relief from joint stiffness and supports recovery from overexertion and muscle tension. Containing no harsh chemicals and with no known side effects, EquioPathics Joint Stress<\/a><\/strong> contains no prohibited substances so is safe to use in competition and is a beneficial addition to your horse\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s diet to support overall joint function and mobility. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Even with the best care, management\r\nand homeopathic support when needed, it goes without saying that joints need movement\r\nto best enhance their health.  Ensuring\r\nyour horse has a regular exercise routine is, therefore, essential for maximum\r\njoint health, function and integrity \u00e2\u20ac\u201c so get out there, enjoy your horse and\r\nkeep them moving!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Buy One Get One HALF PRICE on EQUIOPATHICS JOINT STRESS and\u00c2\u00a0JOINT STRESS<\/a>! Offer ends February 29, 2020.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Whether your horse jumps, piaffes or hacks, their joints keep them moving. And healthy joints lie at the heart of a sound horse that is able to compete and remain active well into old age. In this post we look at what makes up a healthy joint and what you can do to help ensure […]\n","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":9682,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[106,81],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7386","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-horse-health","category-natural-pet-health"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nJoint Health in Horses - HomeoPet UK<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Joint Health in Horses - HomeoPet UK\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Whether your horse jumps, piaffes or hacks, their joints keep them moving. And healthy joints lie at the heart of a sound horse that is able to compete and remain active well into old age. In this post we look at what makes up a healthy joint and what you can do to help ensure [...]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"HomeoPet UK\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-02-01T14:29:45+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-09-03T08:37:37+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/09\/horse-jumping-1024x712-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"712\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"\",\"@id\":\"\"},\"headline\":\"Joint Health in Horses\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-02-01T14:29:45+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-09-03T08:37:37+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/\"},\"wordCount\":1215,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/09\/horse-jumping-1024x712-1.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Horse Health\",\"Natural Pet Health\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/\",\"name\":\"Joint Health in Horses - HomeoPet UK\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/09\/horse-jumping-1024x712-1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-02-01T14:29:45+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-09-03T08:37:37+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/09\/horse-jumping-1024x712-1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/09\/horse-jumping-1024x712-1.jpg\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":712},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Joint Health in Horses\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/\",\"name\":\"HomeoPet UK\",\"description\":\"HomeoPet Natural Pet Medicines\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/author\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Joint Health in Horses - HomeoPet UK","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Joint Health in Horses - HomeoPet UK","og_description":"Whether your horse jumps, piaffes or hacks, their joints keep them moving. And healthy joints lie at the heart of a sound horse that is able to compete and remain active well into old age. In this post we look at what makes up a healthy joint and what you can do to help ensure [...]","og_url":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/","og_site_name":"HomeoPet UK","article_published_time":"2020-02-01T14:29:45+00:00","article_modified_time":"2024-09-03T08:37:37+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":712,"url":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/09\/horse-jumping-1024x712-1.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/"},"author":{"name":"","@id":""},"headline":"Joint Health in Horses","datePublished":"2020-02-01T14:29:45+00:00","dateModified":"2024-09-03T08:37:37+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/"},"wordCount":1215,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/09\/horse-jumping-1024x712-1.jpg","articleSection":["Horse Health","Natural Pet Health"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/","url":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/","name":"Joint Health in Horses - HomeoPet UK","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/09\/horse-jumping-1024x712-1.jpg","datePublished":"2020-02-01T14:29:45+00:00","dateModified":"2024-09-03T08:37:37+00:00","author":{"@id":""},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/09\/horse-jumping-1024x712-1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/09\/horse-jumping-1024x712-1.jpg","width":1024,"height":712},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/joint-health-in-horses\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Joint Health in Horses"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/#website","url":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/","name":"HomeoPet UK","description":"HomeoPet Natural Pet Medicines","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"","url":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/author\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7386","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7386"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7386\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9682"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7386"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7386"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7386"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}