Q. Why is it important to consider my horse’s joint health?
A. Horses have relatively small joints in relation to their body size, so it is not hard to imagine the immense pressure forces put upon these joints, especially when we ask them to gallop, jump or perform collected movements. Over time, the joints are subjected to wear and tear which is why we must do all we can to look after them.
Further information on the anatomy of your horse’s joints and how they function can be found here.
Q. What should I look out for?
A. Get into a daily routine of checking your horse for any abnormalities.
The way we manage our horses can greatly impact on the health of their joints. For example, when the intensity of exercise is increased too quickly problems could occur. It is, therefore, recommended that intensity and duration of exercise sessions are increased very gradually. Now we’re heading into spring especially, many horse owners will be thinking about increasing their horse’s fitness whether that’s for the competition season ahead or just to take advantage of the lighter evenings, and it’s very important to consider the strain put upon your horse’s musculoskeletal system when exercising.
Here are some other things to bear in mind:
- Body condition also plays a part in joint health. If your horse is overweight, it can add unnecessary and detrimental strain to the joints.
- Avoid intense exercise on hard ground. For fast work and jumping, artificial surfaces or softer, grass covered areas are preferable.
- The condition of the hooves is correlative to how the horse distributes his balance. An unbalanced hoof can have detrimental effects on the limb higher up, negatively impacting on the joints.
- Supplementing the horse’s diet with scientifically proven joint health ingredients (such as those in Best-Flex HA) can provide the support that your horse’s joints may need.
Q. How can Best-Flex HA help my horse?
A. It is often recommended to use a joint supplement to help maintain your horse’s joint health as best as possible.
Best-Flex HA provides the highest specification of active joint health ingredients available, when compared to other leading joint supplements. See how it compares for yourself with our helpful chart.
Best-Flex HA supplies the nutrients to aid production of connective tissues, supporting joint lubrication and collagen synthesis. By supplementing your horse with Best-Flex HA, you can be confident that he is receiving the essential active ingredients to support and soothe the joints.
It is important to note, if you are at all concerned about your horse’s health or mobility, please seek the advice of your vet.