World Autoimmune Arthritis Day 2024 is on Sunday, May 19, 2024: desparately need help with my mares arthritis! thanks?

Sunday, May 19, 2024 is World Autoimmune Arthritis Day 2024.

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desparately need help with my mares arthritis! thanks?

The best thing for arthritis is to keep the joints moving, so the more she can be turned out, the better it is for her.

MSM is a good choice as a joint support supplement. It will help to maintain the joint cartilage and also reduces inflammation in joints which is damaging and adds to the pain. It is FDA approved, and has also been shown to prevent autoimmune inflammatory responses. It is not an NSAID like Bute, and has no known adverse side effects. MSM is also safe to feed to insulin resistant horses, which many are as they age. Glucosamine, for example, is not recommended if your horse is insulin resistant. MSM is also inexpensive, which is just one more reason for choosing it.

Contrary to what some people think, arthritis is not made worse by cold. So she is still better off being out and around, even if it is cold outside. The more she stands around, the more the cartilage in joints deteriorates, and the less joint fluid is secreted, so keep her moving.

My horses are 22 and 23 and are out in all kinds of weather. They are never blanketed. They have a very nice shelter and I feed hay in it 24/7 year round. They stay healthy and robust, and choose to stay outside even in the worst weather, despite having access to the shelter at all times. My mare does show some stiffness from arthritic changes, and I started her on MSM a few months ago, which has improved her joint mobility.

So, my advice is to keep her out as much as possible, and start her on MSM added to her feed, and observe how she does. Being in not only keeps her from getting adequate exercise, but it forces her to breathe stagnant indoor air that can bring on respiratory disease.

How you bed a stall makes no difference in the progression of arthritis......exercise does.

Obviously if she has to be in, then cushioning what she is standing on is better for her since it reduces concussion and resistance forces on her tissues.

EDIT....the exercise is great. But I would have the vet advise you on whether or not she is sound enough for jumping, just to be sure.

Here you are.............................

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Also on this date Sunday, May 19, 2024...