Osteoarthritis in horses: What you really should be feeding

When your vet mentions the word "osteoarthritis" for the first time, it is a moment of shock. Suddenly, all the worries you have had for months when your horse gets up in the morning are confirmed in black and white. And immediately afterwards comes the question: What can I do now? What should I feed?

We are Katja and Andrés, with over 20 years of equestrian experience – and exactly these questions have accompanied us through many evenings at the stables. In this article, you will not get any miracle cure promises, but an honest, practical guide to feeding for osteoarthritis: what really helps, what is overlooked, and what you are better off avoiding.

What osteoarthritis in horses actually is

Osteoarthritis is not "normal joint wear and tear" – it is a chronically progressive breakdown of the joint cartilage, accompanied by inflammatory reactions and, over time, changes to the bone itself. The cartilage, which cushions the ends of the bones like a shock absorber, becomes rougher, thinner, and loses its elasticity. At the same time, the body often produces inferior, watery synovial fluid, which worsens the friction even further.

Osteoarthritis typically occurs in four areas in horses:

• Coffin joint (common in horses with hard hooves or hoof conformation problems)
• Fetlock joint (often in showjumpers and horses with conformational faults)
• Carpal joint (classic in racehorses and intensively trained sports horses)
• Hock joint – when osteoarthritis is located here, the vet often refers to it as bone spavin, an independent diagnosis with its own treatment path (find out more here).

Important to know: Osteoarthritis is not curable. But through the right management – including targeted feeding – it can be very effectively slowed down and relieved.

First signs that you, as an owner, often already suspect

Long before your vet makes the diagnosis, there are typical warning signs. Perhaps you recognise your horse in some of these:

• Stiff and tight coming out of the stable in the morning – needs an unusually long warm-up time
• Filled legs after a night in the stable
• A bad day after every cold and wet weather change
• Irregular rhythm that "works itself out" after 10–15 minutes of riding
• Problems when riding downhill or making tight turns
• Resistance that is suddenly new (the horse "just doesn't want to anymore")

If several of these points sound familiar to you: off to the vet. An early diagnosis is the most valuable tool you have.

What feeding for osteoarthritis can really achieve (and what it cannot)

Be honest with yourself: No feed in the world can rebuild lost cartilage. Anyone who promises you that is not being serious.

What the right feeding can actually do, however:

• Provide the remaining cartilage with the building blocks it needs for self-repair
• Improve the quality of the synovial fluid (less friction = less pain)
• Help regulate inflammatory processes in the joints
• Slow down the progression of the osteoarthritis
• Stabilise the tendons, ligaments, and connective tissue that have to compensate for the damaged joint

That is a lot. But it does not happen overnight. You will typically see the first changes after 4–6 weeks; a fair assessment is possible after 8–12 weeks. Osteoarthritis is chronic — which is why feeding is not a sprint-like treatment course, but a marathon. Continuous feeding at a moderate dose is more effective than short, highly dosed phases.

The 4 active ingredients that really count for osteoarthritis

In research, four active ingredients have proven to be particularly relevant for osteoarthritis. Each of these targets a different area in the joint – only the combination creates a true synergy effect (proven by a cross-over study by the British Animal Health Trust).

In the first 2–3 weeks after starting feeding, an initial course with double the dose is recommended to replenish the body's reserves. After that, the maintenance dose is sufficient on a permanent basis.

What is often overlooked when feeding for osteoarthritis

The four active ingredients above form the foundation. But with osteoarthritis, the entire diet plays a decisive role – not just the supplement. These points are omitted in most guides:

Omega-3 / Omega-6 ratio. Omega-3 fatty acids have an anti-inflammatory effect, whilst omega-6 promotes inflammation. With osteoarthritis, you want to shift the balance towards omega-3. In concrete terms, this means: fewer grain-heavy concentrates, more linseed, linseed oil, or linseed cake. (By the way: This is exactly why our nuvallo move Snacks are based on linseed cake and linseed.)

Low-sugar diet. Sugar promotes inflammatory processes. Consistently cut out sugary treats from the diet. It is also worth checking the labels on mash, mixes, and molasses content.

High-quality hay — no haylage. Fermented haylage can exacerbate tension and inflammation. Look for low-dust, perfectly high-quality hay.

Reduce excess weight. Every extra kilo puts additional strain on the already damaged joints. For horses with osteoarthritis, weight management is not a question of appearance, but of therapy.

Caution with devil's claw and ginger. Both are often recommended but are problematic: they can irritate the stomach lining in the long term, and devil's claw requires a withdrawal period in competitive sports. If used at all, then only for the short term during acute flare-ups — not as a continuous feed.

How long and how often should you feed?

Osteoarthritis is chronic — which is why supportive feeding should be ongoing, not a 3-month course and then nothing. Specifically:

• Daily ration: Consistently every day (skipping weekends leads to setbacks)
• Initial phase: Double dose for 2–3 weeks to replenish reserves
• Maintenance: Afterwards, the regular daily dose, permanently
• During a flare-up: Briefly increase back to the double dose
• Realistic timeframe for measuring success: Assessment only after 8–12 weeks, not earlier

The practical problem: Why horses with osteoarthritis in particular often refuse powder

What we know from hundreds of conversations with horse owners: older horses with osteoarthritis, in particular, are often fussy eaters. Their digestion is more sensitive, their appetite fluctuates, and a bitter powder in the feed bowl can kill off whatever joy they still have in eating.

The classic drama: After the diagnosis, you bought expensive powder, mix it into mash, hide it in bananas — and after three days, your horse meticulously sorts it out. What sticks to the bottom of the feed bowl does no good. A 30% loss of active ingredients per meal means: After a supposed 12-week course, your horse might have only received 8 weeks' worth of the active ingredients. And you wonder why the treatment "did not work".

It is exactly out of this frustration that nuvallo move was born: a functional joint snack that you feed directly from your hand. The four active ingredients are firmly baked into the snack – sorting them out is physically impossible. Six snacks fed means six snacks in the horse. Full stop.

nuvallo move at a glance

So that you know exactly what you are feeding, here are our quality promises for you and your horse:

• ADMR-compliant & safe for competitions: 100% clean ingredients, with absolutely no withdrawal period for sports horses.
• Free from wheat and corn & honest: Free from added sugar and cheap fillers.
• Highest quality standards: Produced and manufactured in Europe under the strictest controls.
• No risk for you: 30-day satisfaction guarantee – because we know that horses sometimes have a mind of their own.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about feeding for osteoarthritis

What do you feed a horse with osteoarthritis?

Four active ingredients have proven themselves in studies for osteoarthritis: glucosamine (building block for cartilage structure), collagen (structural protein for cartilage, tendons, and connective tissue), MSM (organic sulphur, supports regeneration and inflammation regulation) and hyaluronic acid (main component of synovial fluid). The basic diet is just as important: a high proportion of omega-3 (e.g., through linseed or linseed cake), low sugar, high-quality low-dust hay and – if necessary – rigorous weight management. You should only use devil's claw and ginger short-term during acute flare-ups, as they can put a strain on the stomach lining.

What is the best supplement for osteoarthritis?

The most effective dietary supplement is a combination product of glucosamine, collagen, MSM, and hyaluronic acid with a transparently stated dosage per daily ration. A cross-over study by the British Animal Health Trust proves that this combination works significantly better than isolated individual ingredients – the active ingredients reinforce each other. The administration form is just as important as the content: a supplement only works if your horse actually consumes the full dose. Snacks fed from the hand have a clear advantage here over powder that sticks to the bottom of the feed bowl or gets sorted out.

What makes osteoarthritis in horses worse?

Osteoarthritis is exacerbated primarily by five factors: lack of movement (cartilage needs movement for nourishment – standing for long periods is poison), excess weight (every extra kilo puts additional strain on the damaged joints), sugar-rich diet and haylage (promote inflammatory processes), cold, wet weather and damp stables (worsen the symptoms) as well as hard ground during intensive training (increased shock load). Incorrect shoeing or inadequate hoof care can also accelerate osteoarthritis because uneven loading puts additional stress on the cartilage.

How long should you feed a horse devil's claw?

Devil's claw should not be fed for more than 4 to 6 weeks at a time, as it can irritate the stomach lining and lead to long-term stomach problems. It is therefore only suitable as short-term support during acute osteoarthritis flare-ups, not as a continuous feed. Important to know: Devil's claw requires a withdrawal period in competitive sports (must be discontinued at least 48 hours before the start) and is therefore not ADMR-compliant. For the long-term management of osteoarthritis, glucosamine, collagen, MSM, and hyaluronic acid are the more stomach-friendly choice that is safe for competitions.

At what age should I feed preventatively?

For horses with risk factors (intensive sport, conformational faults, large breeds, previous illnesses), preventative feeding makes sense from the age of 7 to 8. If osteoarthritis is diagnosed: always, as soon as the diagnosis is made – regardless of the horse's age.

Can I feed joint supplements continuously?

Yes, and this is especially sensible for osteoarthritis. Unlike acute injuries, osteoarthritis is chronic – a continuous supply of the right building blocks is more effective than short, highly dosed courses with breaks in between.

What about bone spavin, navicular syndrome, tendon problems – does this apply to them too?

The active ingredients mentioned generally support the entire musculoskeletal system. However, each of these diagnoses has its own particularities in feeding and management. Separate articles on this:

• Bone spavin & ringbone in horses: The right feeding
• Navicular syndrome: Diagnosis and support
• Tendon damage in horses: Symptoms, healing & feeding

Does it make sense to feed more for osteoarthritis in winter?

Many horses with osteoarthritis have worse symptoms in winter, because cold and moisture promote inflammatory processes. A short-term dose increase during the cold months can make sense. More about osteoarthritis in winter →

Sources

Byron C.R. et al. — Effects of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate on mediators of osteoarthritis in cultured equine chondrocytes (American Journal of Veterinary Research, Michigan State University, 2003) Link

Welch C.A., Potter G.D., Gibbs P.G., Eller E.M. — Plasma Concentration of Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate in Horses after an Oral Dose (Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 2012) Link

Marañón G. et al. — The effect of methyl sulphonyl methane supplementation on biomarkers of oxidative stress in sport horses following jumping exercise (Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica, 2008) Link

Zdzieblik D. et al. — Improvement of activity-related knee joint discomfort following supplementation of specific collagen peptides (Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 2017) Link

Dobenecker B. et al. — Specific bioactive collagen peptides (PETAGILE®) as supplement for horses with osteoarthritis: A two-centred study (Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition, 2018) Link

Bergin B.J. et al. — Oral hyaluronan gel reduces post operative tarsocrural effusion in the yearling Thoroughbred (Equine Veterinary Journal, 2006) Link