Devil's claw for horses: effects, risks and competition-safe alternatives
Katja and Andrés are behind nuvallo. With over 20 years of practical experience in equestrian sports, we know that the wellbeing of our horses always comes first. In this article, we want to show you how you can proactively support the mobility and protection of tendons, ligaments, and joints.
But early support and knowledge are crucial. Joint wear often begins unnoticed and gradually, long before we clearly feel it in the saddle. In countless conversations with horse owners at riding arenas across the country, we constantly find that the search for the right supplement is often a real jungle of promises and half-knowledge. One name comes up particularly often in specialist forums and at the tie ring: African devil's claw. But just as often, we encounter justified uncertainty, because the side effects that devil's claw can potentially trigger in horses are a major topic.
Today, we want to meet you exactly where you stand every day – at the feed trough. In this article, we give you honest, easy-to-understand answers based on current studies and real experiences. We explain what the root can really do, what its risks are, and why there are clever, competition-safe alternatives.
What you need to know about devil's claw
What actually lies behind this mystical name? Devil's claw (botanical: Harpagophytum procumbens) is a plant that withstands extreme conditions and is native to the vast, dry savannahs of southern Africa. It owes its name to its woody, almost creepy-looking fruits, which are covered in claw-like barbs. For feeding our horses, however, these claws are completely worthless. The true secret of the plant lies deep underground in its tuberous storage roots.
Highly concentrated ingredients are stored in these roots, above all the so-called iridoid glycosides – the most well-known representative being harpagoside. For a long time, this root powder has been used in traditional herbal medicine to support the joy of movement.
But why do we, as horse owners, look into this so intensively? The answer is simple: fortunately, our horses live significantly longer today than they did a few decades ago. At the same time, we ask a lot of them as riding and sports partners. Whether during ambitious hacks, regular training in the arena, or at competitions – the entire musculoskeletal system performs heavy labour. The cartilage in the joint acts as a natural shock absorber. If the quality of these shock absorbers decreases due to natural ageing, phases of high strain, or genetic predisposition, we instinctively look for ways to support the horse through its feed.
Plant-based helpers often seem to be the most natural and safe choice. But beware: plant-based does not automatically mean gentle or harmless. The highly concentrated ingredients trigger complex metabolic processes in the organism. Since the horse's gastrointestinal tract naturally reacts extremely sensitively to changes and bitter substances, it is incredibly important to inform yourself thoroughly before feeding.
What does the science say?
When it comes to supplements, we are often bombarded with countless advertising promises. But what remains when we look strictly at the hard facts? We have broken down the research for you.
What has been proven in studies
When manufacturers advertise the outstanding effects of devil's claw, they mostly rely on so-called in vitro studies. "In vitro" translates to "in glass" – meaning in the laboratory. In these experiments, researchers, for example at major European universities, isolate specific cells (such as cartilage cells) in a petri dish and apply the isolated active ingredient harpagoside directly to them.
The results of these laboratory tests are indeed very interesting: it was proven that the tissue reacts to the plant substance and certain cellular processes are initiated. This is the biological and scientific foundation on which many feeding recommendations rest. It shows that the plant definitely "does something". However, we must remain realistic: laboratory results can never be directly transferred one-to-one to a 500-kilogram animal. In the petri dish, the entire digestive system, liver, kidneys, and bloodstream are missing – meaning all the filter stations that an active ingredient must pass through in real life before it even arrives at the tendon structure or cartilage tissue.
What has been studied on the living horse
Therefore, in vivo studies – investigations on the living animal – are more exciting and relevant to practice. There are some observations and studies on devil's claw in horses. These are often carried out with rather small groups of, for example, 20 to 30 animals over a period of four to eight weeks. With many of these horses, vets or owners noted that they showed nicer movement dynamics after the course and appeared less stiff when walking out in the morning. These findings are supported by long experience in human medicine, where many people report greater mobility in everyday life after taking devil's claw for a certain period.
However, an honest scientific assessment must also mention methodological limitations. Large, independent long-term studies with control groups (receiving a placebo instead of the active ingredient) are unfortunately often lacking in veterinary medicine. Added to this is an important finding from these investigations: it was shown that feeding for too long or at too high a dosage can severely irritate the mucous membranes. This insight leads us directly to the question that occupies almost all riders: How long can you give devil's claw to a horse? The clear recommendation from many experts and vets is to never feed it continuously, but rather to use it for a maximum of six to eight weeks as a course, in order to protect the stomach.
An honest conclusion
In summary, the biological foundation of devil's claw is absolutely solid. It is not a miracle cure and does not heal structural defects, but it can be a sensible building block in the diet as a short-term course.
At the same time, the side effects of devil's claw in horses must not be swept under the carpet. The extremely strong bitter substances contained in the root do stimulate the production of stomach acid and digestive juices, but they can quickly lead to irritation in horses with sensitive stomachs. If you know that your horse reacts sensitively to stress anyway or has had stomach issues before, extreme caution is required here. Research clearly indicates that in such cases, more stomach-friendly alternatives or clever combinations of active ingredients are often the safer choice.
Dosage and practice
When we look at daily practice on the yard, the first question that arises is the right amount. In studies and veterinary feeding recommendations, dosages between 15 and 25 grams of pure devil's claw root powder per day are usually stated for a large horse weighing around 500 kilograms. In an acute phase or at the start of a course, the higher dosage is often chosen to quickly build up the level of the active ingredient, and this is then later reduced to a so-called maintenance dose.
However, if we take a closer look at the experiences with devil's claw for horses on riding yards, it often becomes apparent that the expected results fail to materialise. Why is that? A huge problem is the legal situation and the lack of transparency from many manufacturers. According to the European Feed Regulation (EC) No. 767/2009, it is completely legal to declare ingredients as mere "categories" or without exact weights. Often, a nice, expensive tub simply says "contains devil's claw". Whether that is 2 grams or a valuable 20 grams per daily ration remains the manufacturer's secret. As a critical consumer, you should always check the label: if there are no milligram or gram amounts per kilogram listed, you are likely just buying expensive filler material.
Another crucial point concerns anyone who likes to get their competition gear out of the tack locker at the weekend. When it comes to feeding devil's claw to a horse at a competition, the ADMR (Anti-Doping and Medication Control Rules) of the FN are unmistakable. Devil's claw is considered relevant to doping in German equestrian sport and has a recommended withdrawal period of 96 hours. In practice, this means: you must completely stop feeding the powder at least four days before the starting bell. However, this constant stopping and starting prevents a steady nutrient level in the body, which the joint environment actually needs.
In any case, patience is required with all joint nutrients: cartilage mass is not supplied directly via blood vessels, but only passively via the joint fluid (synovia). This is a very sluggish metabolic process. It usually takes at least 8 to 12 weeks of consistent, daily feeding before nutrients arrive in the joint and positive effects in your horse's movement can become apparent.
Why single active ingredients are often not enough: the power of combination
In the equestrian world, there is often an approach of wanting to solve an emerging problem with a single, extremely high-dose remedy. But your horse's musculoskeletal system does not function in isolation. Absolute teamwork is required in joints, tendons, and ligaments. Different nutrients target completely different construction sites within the tissue. For exactly this reason, we have pursued a different, more modern philosophy at nuvallo. We believe that your horse benefits most from a combination that is gentle on the stomach, can be fed long-term, and is also competition-safe.
A perfectly balanced combination product does not need aggressively high individual dosages that might stress the stomach. Instead, it uses the synergy effect of various proven active ingredients that complement and reinforce each other.
Let's look specifically at the active ingredients that we have combined in the daily ration of our product nuvallo move (that is 6 snacks for a horse weighing approximately 500 kilograms):
- Glucosamine (1,500 mg): This is an absolutely essential building block for cartilage development. Glucosamine supports natural shock absorption and helps to keep the cartilage resilient.
- Collagen (2,550 mg): It is the most important structural protein in the horse's body and is largely responsible for the tensile strength, elasticity, and stability of connective tissue, tendons, and of course the cartilage too.
- MSM (2,250 mg): This is organic sulphur. It is of great importance for cell regeneration and is urgently needed, especially in the tendon and ligament apparatus.
- Hyaluronic acid (150 mg): It is the undisputed main component of joint fluid (synovia) and acts as a lubricant so that the joint surfaces can glide smoothly over one another.
The fact that this combination strategy is highly sensible scientifically is proven, for example, by a well-known crossover study from the British Animal Health Trust. The researchers were able to beautifully demonstrate there that combination preparations of glucosamine, sulphur compounds, and other nutrients have a strong synergy effect. The nutrients work together significantly more effectively than when administered individually. This allows you to intelligently support your horse's entire musculoskeletal system without relying on highly irritating single substances.
The biggest practical challenge: feeding
We can lecture for hours about laboratory studies, cartilage metabolism, synergy effects, and precise milligram figures. But all this academic knowledge evaporates instantly when reality catches up with us on the yard every evening.
The feeding problem
The absolute best supplement, packed with the highest quality nutrients, is absolutely useless if it ultimately remains untouched in the feed trough. Powders are ubiquitous on the market, and let's be honest: they are often a daily annoyance. They create dust when you transfer them from the tub into the feed ration, they quickly change their consistency in damp weather or winter, and they become a real headache to feed. Many nutrients, and above all devil's claw, have an extremely bitter and unpleasant inherent taste. Horses are highly sensitive selective eaters with fine noses. Even the slightest hint of an unfamiliar, bitter smell is enough for them to refuse their hard feed.
Of course, we all know the typical yard tricks. We start mixing the unloved powder into a large portion of mash. We painstakingly hollow out apples or hide the powder in a mashed banana. Sometimes this works for a while. But horses are clever. Very often, after a few days, they skillfully sort out the bitter filling or eat around the mixed powder in the trough with surgical precision.
The emotional frustration for us owners is huge. You invest a lot of money in a high-quality supplement because you only want the best for your beloved horse's joints. And then you stand next to the trough late in the evening, look resignedly at the fine powder residues stubbornly sticking to the bottom of the bowl, and ask yourself: Did my horse even get half of its dose today? Even if the horse seemingly eats well, there is always that nagging uncertainty as to whether the full load of valuable ingredients has really ended up where it should – inside the horse.
Why we got rid of the powder
We have experienced exactly this frustration firsthand and with our own horses. In close exchange with hundreds of horse owners who felt exactly the same way, one thing became crystal clear to us: we finally have to tackle the problem at its root. The crucial question for the development of nuvallo was therefore not simply "How do we make an even better powder?". The real question was: "How do we reliably ensure that every horse ingests the full dose of its joint nutrients dependably, stress-free, and above all, gladly?".
Our answer to this is the nuvallo move Snacks. We have completely abolished the annoying powder and instead developed a functional joint snack that you can conveniently feed directly from your hand. No more measuring scoops, no dusty decanting, and no sticky mash bowls late in the evening.
We have embedded the valuable nutrients (glucosamine, collagen, MSM, and hyaluronic acid) into a highly tolerated, stomach-friendly base free from wheat and corn. Our base is formed of linseed cake, rice bran, and linseed, complemented by natural ingredients such as banana, apple, and carob powder. We consciously avoid artificial flavourings and added sugar.
The advantages in your yard routine are enormous: from now on, you have an exactly defined amount of active ingredients per snack. A 500 kg horse simply gets 6 snacks a day from your hand (which equates to approximately 30 grams). If your horse is a bit lighter, 4 to 5 snacks are sufficient; for heavier horses, you give 7 to 8. If you want to support an acute issue, you can safely feed double the amount in the first 2 to 3 weeks of the course.
Since you give nuvallo move directly from your hand, sorting it out is simply impossible. The daily stress at the feed trough completely disappears. Instead of a battle for every bite, your horse experiences the feeding of the all-important joint nutrients as a lovely moment and a positive reward after riding, grooming, or groundwork.
Because ultimately, the absolute best supplement on the market is not the one with the longest ingredient list, the most exotic plant, or the highest laboratory value on paper. It is always the one that actually ends up inside the horse.
Sources
Montavon S. — Efficacy of a phytotherapeutic preparation based on Harpagophytum procumbens in case of bone spavin of adult horses (Pratique Vétérinaire Équine, 1994)
Brien S., Lewith G.T., McGregor G. — Devil's Claw (Harpagophytum procumbens) as a Treatment for Osteoarthritis: A Review of Efficacy and Safety (Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2006) Link
Wegener T., Lüpke N.P. — Treatment of patients with arthrosis of hip or knee with an aqueous extract of devil's claw (Phytotherapy Research, 2003) Link
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
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
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
nuvallo move – quality you can trust
Transparency, honest ingredients, and safety in sport are our cornerstones. That is why you can rely on the following promises with our snacks:
- ADMR-compliant with no withdrawal period: Our snacks are 100% competition-safe. You do not have to worry about withdrawal periods and can consistently maintain your horse's nutrient level.
- Free from added sugar & artificial flavourings: We rely on natural ingredients and completely avoid artificial additives.
- Manufactured in Europe: We guarantee you the highest, controlled quality standards in production.
- 30-day satisfaction guarantee: We are so convinced of the acceptance and quality that you can test nuvallo move completely risk-free for you and your horse.