There are layers in a joint that consist of cartilage, joint fluid and a joint capsule.
The cartilage sits at the end of each bone and is there to absorb shock. Cartilage has no blood supply to it. A joint capsule holds joint fluid, which keeps the bones together. The two bones that meet work independent of each other.
Causes of Arthritis (also known as DJD-degenrative joint disease)
Inflammation - the body’s way of correcting an issue
the more the joint’s are in motion the more susceptible they are to inflammation
the inflammation causes chemicals to be released, in a way to self correct, but actually destroys surrounding tissue. The joint fluid breaks down over time and the absorption ability degrades
confirmation of horse and being utilized in a sport that is best suited for their body’s build
Not keeping hooves well trimmed and balanced
Extreme exercise such as speed, sharp turns, exaggerated gaits or years of jumping stress the joints.
Excess Weight
Most common places of arthritis: hock, fetlock, knee, pastern and shoulder.
Nutrition:
1. Magnesium is required for bone growth, nerve to muscle signaling & other nervous system functions (Lisa Ross Williams- p. 41. Down-to-Earth Natural Horse Care). Lack of magnesium can contribute to arthritis. Dolomite is an example of a natural source of magnesium.
2. Balancing Calcium and Phosphorus is also important in joint health. Alfalfa is an example of a food high in calcium.
3. Mineral deficiencies (or minerals in excess), metal toxicity (such as aluminum, lead, mercury, arsenic) and mineral balance are keys.
4. Vitamin C is high in antioxidants, that fight free radicals and inflammation. Also known for it's ability to fight infection. It is believed that infection is linked to inflammation and Vitamin C can play a role in controlling the inflammation.
5. Trace Minerals like manganese and copper. Copper is important to the formation and repair of tendons, ligaments, cartilage and joints. Manganese offers support to the skeletal structure and maintenance of bone. Other trace minerals such as zinc, iron, iodine & selenium are critical to a horse's joint health and to optimize their health.
It is important to understand the whole picture and the individual exposures, needs, age, size, breed and various differences of each horse. Some horses manage stress well, others do not, some horses live in selenium rich environments, other environments are selenium poor. Analyzing the individual needs of each horse, feeding a balanced natural diet, and supplementing with quality nature based products is very important.
Essential Fatty Acids -Omega 3’s
Choosing natural, no sugar, low carbohydrates and no processed feeds. As an example; hay pellets, oats, coconut meal. Also pay attention to GMO products such as corn & soy. Items such as sugar grains, mineral deficiently grains that are over processed, and feeds that contain GMO products, contribute inflammation. Inflammation wears joints.
Inflammation Management:
Regular Exercise
Being able to move and walk around freely
Exercise and moving around increases circulation. Circulation increases blood flow
Good footing while exercising will also help. Rocky ground creates more concusion on the joints.
Proper trimming
Prevent the breakdown of cartilage with supplementation -Sulfur (MSM), antioxidants, sea weed or green algae products provide prevention and rehabilitation of inflammed joints.
Exercise to keep joints moving but not overwork them. Exercise stimulates cartilage to become stronger in areas that are being stressed
Ph balance of your horse -acidic versus alkaline
Goals:
Increase joint mobility
Reduce pain
Reduce or eliminate inflammation
Arthritis Relief Solutions:
Neoprane Wraps can help during cold weather, keeps them warm and relieve’s stiffness.
Socks for horses is another solution to relieving stiffness in joints.
Rubbing with a warming liniment (mixed with anti-inflammatory essential oils) before and after exercise also helps loosen stiff joints
Cold Therapy for inflammation, alternating with heat.
Kinesiology taping has incredible results.
Red Light therapy
Common Supplement Solutions:
Devils Claw, Yucca
Turmeric - It must be pharmaceutical grade herb with each capsule being 720 mg, taking 3:3x/day, for a woman. So, you can imagine how much of that you would need for a horse.
Herbs rich in Vitamin C, such as Rosehips and nettle will improve the circulation and support the lymphatic system.
Herbs with a vasodilatory effect such as hawthorn can strengthen the walls of blood vessels.
MSM - natural occurring sulfur. Plays a role in detoxification and also inflammatory conditions. There is sulfur in every type of cell in our body, that is why it is so extremely important. Improves your body’s ability to make it’s own antioxidants. Quality of MSM that you purchase matters.
The problem with common MSM (sulfur) is that it is not used efficiently by the body, because the proper calcium balance must be present in the body, otherwise the sulfur is not metabolized. It also takes magnesium to metabolize calcium.
Chondroitin -Cartilage -source of chondroitin. Not very powerful & mixed evidence that it is even effective.
Glucosamine -helps keep the cartilage in joint healthy. Found in the body, but decreases with age. No natural food sources of glucosamine.
Essential OIls:
Copaiba -very effective to reduce inflammation. Some veternarians have reported using this essential oil, combined with Idaho Balsam Fir, has replaced the use of NSAID’s, in clinical settings.
Reasons Why Essential Oils are So Effective:
Because they are concentrated, 50-70x more therapeutically potent than herb or plants they come from.
Known to move thru the thickest cell walls. Most effective delivery agent for feeding your body several trillion cells of nutrition and oxygen to eliminate toxins
Possibly cleans receptor sites on the surface of cells, which allows for proper communication between cells
Could possibly correct DNA
Increasing oxygen in the body & fight free radicals, which are root sources of producing cancer
Sense of smell affects the limbic system of our brain. The limbic system is directly connected to those parts of the brain that control heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, memory, stress levels, hormone balance, etc. This has a transformative effect on the physiological and psychological effects of the body
Oils detoxify
Oils boost the immune system
Oils create balance in the body systems
High quality essential oils that are used for therapeutic use have a high frequency. Disease, illness, stress, injury have a lower frequency. Essential oils have shown thru clinical research that they are the highest frequency of any natural substance known to man, where illness cannot live. -Dr. Royal R. Rife, "Doctors that speak out about why oils heal and drugs don't".
Sources:
Nan Martin
Hillary Page Self - Herbalist
Essential Oils Desk Reference
Rainbow Acres - J. Sinner
Janice Posnikoff, DVM (horse channel)
Dr. David Stewart, PhD. “Why Oils Heal and Drugs Don’t” _________________________________________
Additional Insights for Arthritis Care in Horses
1. Diet must be taken into consideration
Highly processed foods, GMO foods, high sugar content in foods, poor supplement choices/brands, hay quality (is it sprayed with chemicals, fertilized, GMO hay),
Kinesiology (muscle testing) is a very good way of testing foods your
horse is consuming, feeding only those with a strong
reading. Continue to retest your foods and supplements every 6 months.
If you do not muscle test, another option is to have a hair-mineral analysis done
Another option is to have a medical intuitive reading, that will test your products and food for you.
2. Gels and lotions and oils can all reduce symptoms, but
it takes time.
3. No condition stays the same, but changes. What this
means is what worked for 6 months, may begin to lose
it's effectiveness, so different oils with similiar properties
will need to be chosen and used. Choose 3-4 oils and rotate their usage.
4. Each horse is different, some respond quickly, others
may take more time. The results may be merely
maintaining the condition and other cases may have
great to little improvement.
5. There are many holistic therapies that will compliment the essential oils. Acupuncture,
acupressure, shiatsu, massage, chiropractor, cranial-sacral, musculoskeletal work and/or doing daily stretches.
If interested in musculoskeletal or cranial-sacral work I recommend you look at Holistic Horse Works or The Masterson Method. They both offer trainings on how to work on your own horse. I have done some of the stretches with my horses and did the 30 day yoga with them. It's interesting and invaluable knowledge to have.
6. Essential oils are not always magic potions, although they can achieve the impossible.
7. The whole body and conditions that the animal is exposed to must be taken into consideration. Environmental, workload, diet, turn-out, hoof care, blanketed or not, shelter, over exertion, age,
care-after a ride, etc. Consider all aspects, including emotional.
8. "In my experience, and with the guidance of various veterinarians I've worked with, I've found that it's best not to stall horses with arthritis." I have followed that advice and saw big improvements with movements in saddle and out of saddle. It's much like you or me. If your at the age where your getting stiff from sitting too long, that is a prime example of having your horse in a stall for more then 1/2 the day. They need to be moving, otherwise that causes the joints to stiffen up.
As well as over exertion which can result in the same as having too much stall time.
Light trail riding is a nice change for a horse that is over exerted witih a show schedule, or is older and is retired. Keep them moving to avoid that stiffness, inflammation and pain. Hand walking on the trail is another light exercise to help with stiff joints. It's also a great way to bond with your horse.
I had a horse that had an injury along his back leg muscle (the semitendinosus muscle). His prognosis was that I would never ride him again. I did hand walking with him for six months, along with some essential oils, warm oils compresses and stretches on his leg. To my surprise, after those six months I was able to ride him again on the trail at full capacity. It really is your intention, your perseverance and love that can make miracles happen. Try different methods and remedies, and combinations and find what works best for your horse.
9. Lets not leave out Red Light Therapy! Personally, I would not be able to do the physical work I do, at my day job, without a red light, essential oils and/or stretching.
I recommend Photonic Health to learn more about red light therapy
I also recommend looking into 'The Bemer'. I have clients that use that on their horses and there has been some amazing results. I have a client that uses it for her horse with PSSM with good results. I also have heard that this therapy has had amazing results with stringhalt in horses. This item does come with a hefty price tag, so you can look into red light therapy for horses, that offers more affordable options.
These are some of the oils that will assist with the condition of arthritis:
Peppermint, Lavendar, Sandalwood, Cederwood, Juniper Roman or German Chamomile, Black Pepper, Ginger, Grapefruit, Lemon & Lime, Myrrh, Rosemary, Carrot Seed, Fennel, Wintergreen, Vetiver.
*Notes taken from Carole Faiths Book -"Essential Oils for Horses" ____________________________________
From oil-testimonials.com/1300937:
Rheumatoid Arthritis Homemade Pain Cream Recipe
Author: Pamila Oyler Ross
Location: MS, United States
Posted: 04-08-2014
Testimony from Pamila Oyler Rosee: "I have suffered with chronic pain from rheumatoid arthritis for years. I have paid as much as $300 for pain creams that did not work.
A friend introduced me to Essential Oils about a month ago. She gave me a pain cream recipe to try:
1/2 cup pure, cold-pressed coconut oil
1 teaspoon Shea butter
10 drops Wintergreen
10 drops Helicrysum
10 drops Valor
10 drops peppermint
10 drops lemongrass
10 drops frankincense
I started putting the pain cream on twice a day, in the morning and at night before I went to sleep. Within three days I was totally pain free. Now I only have to put it on occasionally, when I spend the day in my studio painting or working in my garden. ****You could use this recipe for the horses', but I would leave out the Shea Butter and put the essential oil in a coconut oil, as well as mix it with another carrier oil. Then apply topically over the joint area, 2-4x/day. More Joint Health Recipes
The first recipe is from Nayana Morag’s “Essential Oils for Animals” book, where she also notes that the folk remedy for this was to strap a lemon on the joint noting that not so silly when you consider that lemon dissolves kidney stones. Lemon is a miracle oil.
Osteoarthritis (By Nayana Morag)
200 ml aloe vera, yarrow or peppermint hydrosol gel
20 ml comfrey infused oil
30 drops lemon essential oil
10 drops ginger, peppermint or rosemary (I alternated choice)
5 drops violet leaf absolute or chamomile, german or spearmint essential oil
30 ml distilled water, witch hazel, peppermint
Add the essential oils to the comfrey infused oil, stir into the gel. Stir in hydrosol or water until gel is the consistency of shampoo.
Tip: Science beakers work wonderfully for mixing recipes in. Many of the needed measure lines on it, and it has a pour spout. I found a new use for my grandson’s no longer needed items from science class.
*******************************
I haven't tried this recipe (below) yet, but I like the idea of it and know that Cayenne Pepper is an effective remedy for the circulatory system. It is a vasodilator, helps with blood flow, strengthens arteries and capillaries. It is known to be used to help with arthritic pain & pain from shingles& decreases blood pressure and stops bleeding.
I buy an Herbal wormer that has cayenne pepper in the ingredients, that I have used for many years successfully, as a natural wormer for my horses. I have also heard that it can help with bleeding ulcers in horses.
I carry Capsicum (Scientific name for Cayenne Pepper) capsules in my purse in case of emergencies. It is said to stop a heart attack when place under the tongue. Not that I have heart issues, but I have loved ones that do and you never know when it could come in handy for an emergency. I found this recipe from Plant Therapy.
DIY Cayenne Pepper Salve - Rub
What you’ll need:
Carrier oil of your choice; I chose Grapeseed
2 – round tubes
Cayenne powder, from your pantry
Saucepan
fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth
What you’ll do:
Measure 1/2 cup carrier oil of choice into saucepan
Add 2 tsp of cayenne powder to the carrier oil
Warm over low heat for about 30 minutes, then turn off and allow to cool
Strain to remove the cayenne solids from the oil
Return the oil (now a beautiful orange) to heat and re-warm
Weigh, then set aside, 1 ounce of beeswax (approx. 2-3 tbsp)
Once oil is warm, add beeswax and allow to melt
Pour into tubes, allow to cool until solid
Now you’re all done
Rub this lovely balm into your skin to soothe any minor discomfort you may have! The tube provides great application without worry of getting it onto your hands (and later in or near your eyes, ouch!). If you do get some on your hands, be sure to wash well!
Try different carrier oils to find one you like. I would try it with Castor Oil, which has it's own healing benefits and is good for achy muscles without the cayenne. You can also add an essential oil for a more powerful punch.
Osteoarthritis Recipe ( By Candace Hoke)
Ingredients:
Choose a base for your Oils (carrier oils, or gel's what ever mixes well with oils and is natural)
Idaho Balsam Fir
Lemongrass -this can be what is called a 'hot oil', which requires dilution before applying topically
Wintergreen -not to be used if on anticoagulant or blood thinning drugs.
Cypress
Spearmint -this is a cooling oil so good to use during warmer months of the year
Copyright Sept. 2016
All Rights Reserved
This one you use your best intuitive to determine how many drops of oils to Thieves cleaner ratio