Question about joint supplements (kind of long)

SmartMSM Pellets - Horse Joint Supplements from SmartPak Equine

Has anyone used SmartMSM? It sounds good and I thought it might help my gelding. I was told he was kicked by another horse when he was a baby and the injury calcified (he has this hard plate of bone on his left hip). I've had him for four years and he's never had a problem with that leg until two days ago. It didn't show up on the lunge at all, and he only started favoring it when we did trot poles. It wasn't like a sharp pain, it was more like an annoying ache. I was thinking that that old injury might be bothering him now because he's had a lot of time off and isn't as fit as he usually is. It was a very light workout (I stretched his legs and warmed him up slowly on a loose rein beforehand), but I'm wondering if the ouchy-ness had anything to do with the injury at all. He did spook at the beginning of the lesson and bolted halfway across the arena. Could he have twisted his leg or something when that happened? When I got off and walked him, he didn't favor the leg at all.

I also worry that as he ages, that injury might start to bother him more. I try to keep him as fit as possible because of that. I'm going to have the vet look at it next time, but I was hoping for some input from here. Sorry for the novel. Lol

My mare has some hock issues. The vet thinks she's got arthritis but she never seems to have an issue when we flex test her. She was great w/t/c so I started jumping her over the summer. After the second day of cross rails (mind you there are like 4-5 inches and she can walk over them w/o lifting her legs very much) she went lame. She would really limp when I would bring her back to be untacked. She wouldnt even put any weight on her leg when I had her cross tied for grooming. It would go away the next day and only show up if I did any rails. She's about 11, so she's not even a fossil yet. The vet told me I could continue jumping, bute her for a year or so, then get joint injections if I want to continue. I decided she's pretty content doing flat work, and I don't want to injure her hocks more by forcing her to jump.

It all depends on what your vet finds. MSM might be a good preventative, the sulfur helps heal joints. But if your horse is already having issues I would be more aggressive and get something besides just MSM. Talk to your vet about it. How old is your horse?

Every Vet that I have spoken with about Joint Suppliments do not encourage me buying oral - because they say that they have not been proven through studdy to be effective.

The only for sure way to ensure that your horse is getting the Joint Care needed, and to ensure that the money you are spending is going to where it should be, is investing in Injections.

They have been studdied and proven to be effective and shown that your horse is getting what they need.

Now the choice is yours - you can do what you choose.

My 20 year old, "Been There Done That" TB Gelding, gets Glucosamine Intramuscular *IM* Injections, once a month. The dosage was given to me by my vet, who knows my horse, so that I know what needs to be put into the seringe before injection.

You can look into Legend, or Adequan, there is also Polyglycam and Glucosamine.

Also, there is direct joint injections. Where an Experienced Vet will inject a fluid directly into the leg itself *joint* and will put the needed dose into the worn out spot to give it what it needs to move fluidly and comfortably.

Direct injections are very expensive, so be sure to speak with your vet about this before hand.

I would have him examined by your Veterinarian first before you invest your money into any form of Joint Care that is out there, to be sure that you know exactly what it is that he needs, through the professional opinion of your Vet.

I had xrays done on my guy to be sure as to where his joint wear is and how far along it is. There are MANY options out there, but before you choose what you want to do, be as educated as you can be, on the matter first.

MSM is a good, relatively cheap joint supplement to start with. Most of the other joint supp. Contain it. While there is some debate as to whether oral supps. Help or not, there is even more debate about the merit if of joint injections, which are expensive, and in themselves risky for the joint capsules. Injections are usually reserved for highly competative horses with owners that can spare no expense.

MSM is a good place to start. I have an aging horse that thrives on MSM alone as a joint supp., and I can tell if I skip it for a few days. That's enough evidence for me, in his case.

A hip injury may/may not benefit from cartilage supporting suppl. Esp if his injury was deemed calcified by a qualified vet.

However, it could very well be an entirely new thing that has come up with your horse, a new injury to the same spot, or even a new area of his leg. MSM is something that I would consider to be pretty harmless, but I wouldn't expect it to do miracles, so I'd have to say to keep searching for the reason for the new gimping around.

MIE- how much do your glucosamine injections cost? My vet hasnt even mentioned them.

All the vets I speak to suggest an oral glucosamine product. One of them a lameness specialist. Im sure most things injected probably work better then something that has been digested first.

Personal experience: give it a few days before doing any kind of medication.

Horses do hurt themselves from time to time and two days of a slight lameness does not automatically equal joint supplements or injections. He may have done something in pasture, or when he spooked, that is making him limp.
Also, have you checked his feet and shoes thoroughly? A loose nail or lite case of thrush can have the same affect, even on a problem leg. I'd investigate the injury thoroughly before I would start on any kind of supplement.

As far as the supplements go - my guy has a bone chip in his right hock and they don't seem to noticeably help one way or the other so I quit buying them after a couple of years. The vet has said we can do injections, but I'm waiting until he gets older, as the injections lose some of their effectiveness over time.

Personally, I've found that a good fitness routine and regular exercise (keep muscles good and fat to a minimum) are the best long-term treatment for long-term injuries or issues.

Injections also repair as well as prevent. IMO if the horse needs them, the sooner the better. But it sounds like your horse dosent need them yet. I think they don't really loose effectiveness, but the horse needs more to continue at that level of activity. Most joint issues get progrossively worse, so you usually need to give more with progression. Their body is still processing the nutrients the same way it was before.

I added a link here for a product called Myristol. It is a newer product on the market that can only be bought from your vet (at least in my area). It works wonders.
I have an 16 yr old jumper that used to get injections on a regular basis, but since having him on Myristol he hasn't had any! Been a year. It works wonders.
I now use it for all my horses as a preventative measure as well as for those that may already have joint issues

It is pricey, but you don't use a lot, so it lasts a fair while. And not to mention if you figure out the cost compared to injections...Myristol is cheaper in the long run

Myristol - Equine

Sillybunny - I inject IV Legend and IM Adequan once monthly on all my horses as a preventative and to treat arthritis. Using brand name drugs it is about $100 for each injection (so $200/horse). Using generics cuts the cost in half, but if something does go wrong - there is no one to sue :P. The drugs are very safe though.
Talking about IJ injections - these are expensive and actually fairly dangerous - you have to take a lot of care to properly clean the injection site prior to the injection and after it. The horse must also be sedated. These are only recommended for horses with specific issues, not global arthritis or as a preventative.

I am glad that you are talking to a vet! Continue to do so and ask a lot of questions. Good luck!

He's 10. My trainer suggested that I try to find some kind of glucosamine supplement for him, but I'm not positive that the problem is in the joint. I'm definitely going to get a professional opinion before I buy anything for him.