One day I noticed my horse had slowed down and was acting rather lazy. I thought she was just getting a little older and that was okay. Then I noticed she was beginning to limp. My vet quickly diagnosed her with equine arthritis.

There's seems to be no living breathing creature that's exempt from arthritis. Humans, dogs, birds, and even horses. When my gal first started limping it seemed to work itself out. But soon it wasn't going away and that's when I became worried. After she was 13 years old.

Still I was rather surprised. It's just something you don't think about. And like with ourselves it rather sneaks up on us. But not to worry your horse's life is far from over.

If you have a horse that is suffering from arthritis you need to understand how your horse works and how the arthritis affects their joints. Their joints are covered with a protective layer on the outside and slippery inner layer. When the joint is health the bone is covered with cartilage which absorbs the shock.

As the joint wears with age it cannot repair itself and so the cartilage starts to break down. At the same time the synovial fluid changes and looses its lubricating ability which in turn causes more friction. The cycle continues. Over time the cartilage breaks down completely and the bones then rub on each other.

The final stage is arthritis which may cause the equine joint to actually fuse in the worst case scenario. Outside the worst case scenario the arthritis can still cause bone chips, swelling around the joint, injuries, and stiffness and pain which result in the horse becoming lame.

One of the treatments provided was MSM. You may have heard of this one before. MSM is methylsulfonylmethane which is also used to treat humans. It's been recognized as a bit of miracle drug. It's sold as a food supplement both for humans and animals.

I recommend you combine it with FlexFree which is a combination recommended by many vets. He also prescribed phenylbutazone which is often called bute. I used this before every ride and there seemed to be a noticeable improvement especially on the cold wet days.

Another treatment that is used regularly is DMSO or dimethyl sulfoxid which has shown results as good as Bute. This is a prescription drug prescribed by your vet.

Don't forget to keep it simple. Cold water and ice is very effective in reducing swelling. A good warm up is also very important before beginning to work. Just as you would do a warm up give your horse a 15 minute warm up that consists of walking and slow jogging.

Keep your horse dry and warm. Never leave your horse outside if the weather is cold or wet. And on damp days ensure you put a horse blanket on your horse.

There are many new treatments appearing on a regular basis. But before trying any new treatments you need to ensure you consult your vet to make sure they are a good choice. Always research all treatment options before trying.