joint health
Horse owners are painfully aware that amongst the factors limiting a horse’s working and competitive life, musculoskeletal injuries, especially joint problems, occur all too frequently. A common assumption is that these injuries result at least in part from wear-and-tear and therefore increase with age, so consequently, owners assume there’s not much to be done about it. But think again, as by using sensible management strategies, it is possible to ensure healthy equine joints that will be capable of withstanding athletic demands over a long and enjoyable career. Balanced nutrition, sensible exercise and prompt veterinary care all combine to help.
Joint health - learn how to keep your horse happy
The journey to long-term joint health starts with the initial decision to breed a specific mare to a certain stallion, when selection of both for strong conformational attributes may improve known structural deficits in either. Researching the performance history of siblings and offspring along with the parents is relevant too, as despite many notable imperfections in structure, many equine athletes perform successfully. From conception to foaling, broodmare nutrition affects the joint health of the growing foal and might impact the chances of having developmental orthopedic disease (DOD, musculoskeletal problems) as a youngster. A mare’s feed intake and mineral ratios (zinc, copper, calcium, phosphorus) contribute to proper cartilage maturation, particularly in the last trimester. Because mare’s milk is a poor source of trace minerals, a foal depends on his liver mineral stores, such as copper, for several months after birth. Copper helps mineralize (strengthen) the cartilage matrix and aids bone development. Foal growth does not occur smoothly and progressively, so close observation along with management of a foal’s caloric intake are both important strategies to avoid fuelling rapid or excessive growth (which contributes to DOD development). The lactating mare’s diet impacts her foal’s caloric intake - excessive feed intake results in abundant,
rich milk, prompting foal growth spurts and it’s worth knowing that researchers have linked excess calories and energy intake to DOD lesion development in young horses. As with the gestating mare’s ration, mineral balance (particularly calcium-phosphorus and copper-zinc ratios) in the growing foal’s diet is critical to proper musculoskeletal development.
Exercise management Management of the level of ‘work’ expected is crucial for the growing horse, but it is known that exercise in excess could lead to problems at any age. Avoiding excessive exercise strain helps reduce potential injuries, but it is equally important not to limit a growing youngster’s exercise too much since strain-force application (from loading the limbs) helps bone and soft tissue develop properly.
Proper Diagnosis Preventing injury is the primary objective of long-term joint health management in horses of all ages. For the adult horse, correct body weight and muscle strength are the most important goals, along with training and conditioning for work the horse will be required to perform. However if a joint injury does occur, the owner plays an essential role in rapid detection, as close daily observation and knowing what is ‘normal’ for
your horse and his personality are helpful signs of a possible problem. The advice is always to seek veterinary attention at the first notice of abnormal clinical signs, such as swelling, heat, pain, and/or lameness - and remember, joint effusion (excess fluid in a joint space) is typically the first abnormal sign seen after joint injury. When early signs of injury go unnoticed, with time and progression, a steady decline in performance associated with gait changes or a horse’s reluctance to perform expected athletic efforts should also raise your concerns. Ultimately, the earlier that you and your vet recognise and treat a joint problem the better the result. Continued exercise on even mildly injured tissue can create a long and frustrating course of disease progression and most vets would say that ‘working through it’
is rarely a
good idea.” To improve the horse’s athletic outcome, accurate assessment of any joint injury is essential to develop an appropriate treatment plan. A thorough physical and lameness examination by your vet will help narrow the concerns to a specific joint. Additional diagnostic tools can help to further identify the injury and these could include nerve blocks, joint fluid assessment, radiography,
ultrasonography, nuclear scintigraphy, and MRI. Any treatment will need to be supported by well-informed day-to-day management of the injured horse with the overall goal of restoring the structural integrity and function of the joint to normal, healthy function as quickly as possible.
Take-home message Throughout a horse’s life, from conception through training and competition to the highest levels, opportunities exist for you, the horse’s owner, to manage his joints for the best musculoskeletal outcome. Proactive strategies begin before conception by selecting an appropriate mare and stallion. From gestation through growth and development, balanced nutrition and sensible exercise programs impact joint cartilage health. Careful, strategic training and conditioning promote progressive strengthening of musculoskeletal tissues. Recognising lameness early, obtaining an accurate diagnosis and selecting appropriate therapies are critical to returning a horse’s joint to optimal function and keeping him in top athletic form for the long-term.
Equine Page 12
www.theequinesite.co.uk
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