recommendations for a good joint supplement?

Hi,
Just bought a new pony who has a bit of arthritis (bless him) and I was wondering if anyone could recommend a good/proven joint supplement that you can buy in the uk?

I use MSM on my older, retired, arthritic gelding, and it seems to be helping.

He'll even break into a canter once in awhile when the horses are going up to the barn for dinner. He hasn't done that in quite awhile.

I do find that the dosing instructions seem to be off, though. I have to give him the loading dose every day. The regular dose didn't appear to be working, but I started giving him the loading dose and it's made a world of difference.

I'm sure you can get MSM in the UK. It's not a controlled substance, and it's fairly inexpensive.

Thank you speed racer,

He's 14 yrs and arab x connemara (the one pictured on my profile pic) he has started with it in his coffin bone . I think, mainly because he has been used heavily for hunting and showjumping and the wear and tear signs are now starting to show!

We also have a 23 yr old hanovarian which I will use the supplement for him also, he still has loads of life left in him but we have noticed recently that now and again he creeks!

So I want to get something for both of them but there is that many products on the market, it is hard to choose what to go for and what actually works!

Start with MSM and stick with at least 12,000 mg daily anything under that has been shown to be a waste... smartpak has a good article on how much of each is needed ... I keep my girl at 20,000

The only "for sure" way to ensure that your horse is getting the joint care needed, is Intramuscular Injections like Adequan, Legend, Glucosamine etc, etc.

Talk to your vet.

I personally dislike oral suppliments because they fall under the "Equine Nutrition" category which isn't as strict in regulations as products that fall under the "Equine Medical" category.

Orals aren't 100% because of how loose the rules and regulations are in the Equine Nutrition category...so the "ingredients" may not be what they claim them to be, and the % of each may not be what they say there is.

Also, studdies show that all of the oral product that our horses injest, wont get to where it is needed. A small amount may get to the joint where the rest goes to waste.

Where Intramuscular Injetions and Joint Injections, fall under the "Equine Medical" category where the rules, laws and regulations are very strict. So, what the product says it is, it is and you can be sure that the product is going directly to the horses joint doing the job it is made to do. Products that fall under the Equine Medical field are strictly inspected, tested and proven to be effective.

Again, talk to your vet.