| It’s possible that you purchased your horse as an | | | | joints in the lower legs on a daily basis, particularly after |
| older equine to start. If this is the case, you need to be | | | | exercise. |
| aware of the signs that are indications that your horse | | | | Tip #2 – Be wary of a stiff or choppy gait should |
| is suffering from arthritis pain. The conformation of a | | | | dissipated after a suitable warm up has taken place. |
| horse is the major consideration and the primary | | | | Tip #3 – Give your horse a visual and physical |
| factor that influences the onset of arthritis. The horse | | | | inspection of the joints each day. The best time to do |
| that has a problematic conformation is likely to | | | | this is approximately an hour after moderate exertion |
| demonstrate arthritis and at an early age than the | | | | has occurred. |
| equine whose conformation is virtually perfect. | | | | Tip #4 – Watch for hesitance in your horse’s |
| Degenerative joint disease (DJD) is another name for | | | | usual activities. Also be particularly aware if your horse |
| horse arthritis. Weight-bearing joints are the primary | | | | pulls back from such activities. |
| targets of arthritis in horses as they age. Recognizing | | | | Any of these tips can be the earliest warning signs |
| the horse who is suffering from arthritis pain is not a | | | | that your senior equine is beginning to experience pain |
| difficult task and basically amounts to understanding | | | | from arthritis. Obviously the sooner these warning |
| what is normal and what is not with your particular | | | | signs can be detected, the more likely it is that |
| horse. | | | | treatment can be implemented to slow the arthritis that |
| DJD is progressive in senior horses, particularly after | | | | has already started. |
| age 15 when a metabolic change takes places in | | | | Contact your horse’s veterinarian right away and |
| horses. This change results in increase cellular | | | | get a professional diagnosis about what the best steps |
| degeneration on several levels which include the | | | | are to proceed from that point forward. Proper diet, |
| skeletal level, tissue and cartilage levels. As with elderly | | | | exercise and joint care can not only decrease the |
| people, horses are less able to flex tendons and more | | | | pace at which arthritis advances but it can help your |
| likely to experience breaks, tears and inflammation due | | | | horse to enjoy many more days without the pain. |
| to aging. | | | | There are instances when the arthritis has already |
| The good news is that there are some basic | | | | advanced and the damage has been done on a |
| considerations that will help you to recognize pain your | | | | cellular or tissue and joint level. When such is the case, |
| horse is having due to arthritis. Here are some tips you | | | | your veterinarian can still given sound advice on how |
| can put to use. | | | | best to keep your senior horse from experiencing too |
| Tip #1 – Look for joint puffiness, particularly in the | | | | much pain. |