Arthritis in Horses: Symptoms and Management

Osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease, is a very common condition in horses of all ages and disciplines. It’s important to recognize the signs of arthritis in horses in order to help them maintain a comfortable life, especially if they are used for riding.

What Is Arthritis in Horses?

Arthritis is the inflammation of a joint. If equine arthritis becomes chronic, it can lead to damage and deterioration of the surrounding soft tissues, cartilage, and bone. This is a non-reversible and progressive disease that is found more often nowadays as horse lifespans are lengthening with quality healthcare.

While there is no cure for arthritis, there are many approaches to management that can help keep arthritic horses comfortable.

Signs of Arthritis in Horses

Signs of arthritis in horses may include:

• Stiffness

• Swelling or heat around joints

• Pain or lameness

• “Popping” or cracking noises during movement

Causes of Arthritis in Horses

Arthritis can occur at any age, although older horses with long or athletic careers may be more prone to it due to heavier wear and tear on the joints.

Sport horses are also more prone to trauma to or near a joint, which can encourage bony changes in the area. This leads to damage or compression of the joint capsule, and excessive force on the cartilage over time, all of which can cause inflammation.

Poor conformation (the natural body shape of the horse), such as upright hocks, can also predispose certain joints to develop osteoarthritis from repeat compression.

Acute or septic arthritis can occur if an infection gets inside a joint capsule. This can be secondary to a puncture wound into a joint.

Young foals can also get septic joints if they are very sick. High numbers of bacteria and white blood cells circulate through the entire body and take up residence in the joints. These joints will suddenly become very large, warm, and the foal may become non-weight-bearing on that limb.

How Veterinarians Diagnose Arthritis in Horses

If your horse seems sore or in pain during exercise or warm-up, your veterinarian can perform a thorough lameness exam. This will include watching your horse walk, trot, and canter for a baseline, then perform flexed examinations.

Flexed exams put a small amount of stress on the joint of interest, and if the horse comes off limping, that indicates the joint, tendon, or ligament is an area of pain/discomfort.

Your vet may then perform a nerve or joint block to numb that area. If your horse moves soundly after the block is administered, this confirms the area of concern.

Once an area of concern is identified, your veterinarian will likely take X-rays of the joint to evaluate the level of involvement and bony changes present. In complex cases, advanced imaging such as MRI may be required.

Treatment of Arthritis in Horses

Arthritis relief for horses starts with pain management. While there is no cure for this degenerative disease process, there are many ways to manage pain and lengthen the athletic career of your horse.

In most cases, a multi-way approach works best, including the following:

• Daily moderate exercise will help keep your horse active and comfortable. Being stall bound often increases stiffness.

• Daily anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) may be given. Long-term use of Equioxx, bute, and Banamine may cause gastric ulcers over time from continued use. Always consult your veterinarian to determine if an NSAID is right for your horse.

• Intraarticular steroids or synthetic joint supplements may be given such as hyaluronic acid, or biologics such as PRP, IRAP, Pro-Stride, and stem cells.

• Systemic joint injectable support may be given such as Adequan or Legend.

• Oral joint supplements may be used such as Cosequin or LubriSyn HA Hyaluronic Acid Horse & Pet Join Supplement.

• Alternative treatments such as shockwave, acupuncture, PEMF, and chiropractic work may help.

• In some cases, surgical or chemical fusion of joints may be recommended to speed up the arthritic process, as fusion is the most painful part for horses. Once the joint has fused, motion may be limited, but there is less pain in the affected area.

Recovery and Management of Arthritis in Horses

For acute or septic equine arthritis treatment, repeat joint flushes and systemic antibiotics will help clear the infection and hopefully prevent long-term joint damage.

Equine arthritis management should include a daily exercise regimen tailored for your horse, if they’re comfortable, to help promote joint mobility. For horses that still work, long, thorough warm-up and cool-down sessions are very important to prevent discomfort during exercise. 

Carrot stretching is also a great way to help manage osteoarthritis in horses.

Regular examinations every six to 12 months with your veterinarian will help evolve your horse’s arthritic maintenance as they continue to work and age.

As the disease progresses, treatment will likely become evolve from simple diet and exercise changes to oral medication and injectable joint support to manage worsening changes and help your horse maintain their workload.

While arthritis often cannot be prevented altogether, you can follow some tips to decrease its severity. These include:

• Have your horse on an appropriate trim/shoeing schedule. If there are any congenital or conformational abnormalities to the hoof shape or growth, they need to be managed therapeutically. Any problem with the foot can travel up the limb and cause secondary stress on other joints.

• Offer arthritis supplements. These can help promote healthy joint fluid and protect joint cartilage before damage starts to occur, prolonging the life of the joints.

• Avoid overuse and excessively hard, demanding work for your horse. This will also improve the longevity of your horse’s career.