Supplementing your horses diet to support mobility and joint function

Your FAQ Answered

I have a 26-year-old 12.2hh Welsh cross pony mare. She is ridden by my daughter and is only in very light work. We feed her a balancer and she is in at night, she is in great condition and has never had laminitis. but I have started to notice she is a little stiff and is stumbling while we are out hacking. The vet has given her the all-clear and says that she is just showing her age. Are there any extra nutrients I can give her through supplements?

Feeding a balancer is a great way of ensuring your horse is receiving good levels of all essential micronutrients

It sounds like you are managing your daughter’s pony’s really well, and her current diet sounds really sensible. By feeding her a high specification balancer you are already making sure she is getting good levels of all the essential micronutrients. Do check that the balancer you are feeding contains good levels of antioxidants, such as selenium, zinc, copper and manganese, along with vitamins A, C and E. Antioxidants can neutralise free radicals before they damage body tissues and are of benefit to the older horse.

Kentucky Karron Oil is a Superior quality, emulsified oil providing beneficial Omega-3 fatty acids to support digestive function and overall well-being

Providing your horse does not suffer from liver problems, you can also consider feeding some essential fatty acids, such as linoleic and linolenic acid. The horse cannot manufacture these, so they need to be supplied by the diet. Good levels of essential fatty acids are also important to regulate inflammatory problems, such as arthritis. The easiest way to add these to the diet is to feed some Kentucky Karron Oil. This is a linseed oil that has been emulsified to improve digestibility it is rich in beneficial fatty acids. We recommend feeding your pony 30ml/ day. Obviously, any oil will also provide extra calories but in the amounts recommended above this should not cause your pony to gain any excessive weight

Ostoflex is a formulation of essential nutrients that are vital to help limit wear and tear and to maintain joint health

I would also suggest that you consider feeding your mare Ost-O-Flex. This is an effective combination of nutrients to support total mobility and joint function. It contains glucosamine, which can help to control inflammatory processes, marine collagen as a source of chondroitin and hyaluronic acid, which support joint health and MSM for its anti-inflammatory properties. Given your pony’s age I suggest you give 30ml of Ost-O-Flex per day, but you may find that you can reduce this to a maintenance level of 15ml/ day.