You walk out to catch your performance horse and saddle up for a quick training session. Then, you notice he’s coming in from turnout a little stiff. You brush it off to a chilly morning, and get him saddled, heading to the arena.
During your warm-up, his stride feels a touch shorter, and he’s maybe not moving off your leg quite as well. He just doesn’t feel like he’s giving it 100% like he normally does. Maybe these can all be attributed to weather, a long ride the day before, weight, or simply age. Or, maybe your horse is starting to exhibit symptoms of osteoarthritis.
Stay tuned for more on osteoarthritis (OA) during June, thanks to our friends at Zycosan. But first, let’s look at some common symptoms of OA.
Look For Obvious Lameness
Every time you put eyes on your horse, give him a quick once-over to gauge his well-being. Doing this every day will not just give you a baseline of how he normally looks, but let you spot issues before they become worse. Osteoarthritis is a chronic and progressive disease. This means it can’t be completely healed, but early intervention is key to managing it.
Be on the lookout for the most obvious sign of OA: lameness. Your horse might be visibly limping or favoring a leg, his hind end, or overall appearing lame. This can be one of the first and most obvious symptoms of OA. If there aren’t clear reasons for his lameness, a visit with your veterinarian to perform a lameness exam is usually the place to start. Horses can get hurt for a variety of reasons. It might just be a strain from playing during turnout, but unexplained lameness that persists or gets worse is always worth a call to the vet. And the sooner the better.
General Stiffness That Subsides
If your horse is always stiff coming out of his stall, or the first few minutes under saddle, but then starts to “work out of it”, this could be a sign of OA. Although we all get a little stiffer as we age, horses that appear stiff but then seem to get more comfortable with movement might be showing clinical signs of this joint condition.
Again, working with your veterinarian when you notice your horse consistently presenting with stiffness is important for ruling out serious issues. This is also where knowing his baseline health will be of importance. If you just finished a 20-mile trail ride the day before, sure, he has a good reason for being a little stiff. But, if the stiffness is recurrent or even intermittent but not improving, it’s time to call the vet.
Should your horse be diagnosed with OA or arthritis, movement is still an important part of keeping him comfortable. A body in motion stays in motion, so talk to your vet about an exercise routine that is appropriate for his age, discipline, and stage of OA.
Hind End Lameness
Signs to watch for when it comes to OA in the hind end include toe-dragging, dropping his pelvis to one side, or reluctance to bring a hind limb forward. If you feel your horse dragging his back feet or dropping his hip, he might be exhibiting signs of hind end lameness.
Maybe he’s always been quick to drop his hind end and stop hard. But now, he is reluctant to bring his hind legs up underneath, or is ‘bunny-hopping’, instead. These are all signs that mean he’s uncomfortable and there could be something deeper going on.
Swelling and Reduced Range of Motion
Swelling can be a symptom of OA, as well as a reduced range of motion in the joint. Excess fluid in the joint can cause a swollen appearance, while also hindering your horse’s range of motion. Since the knees, (fetlocks), hocks, and stifles are the most commonly impacted joints, while also the heavy hitters for a performance horse’s ability, check these areas often for signs of swelling or discomfort.
You might also notice heat in the limb or even hear a popping or grinding sound in the joint during movement, a symptom called crepitus.
Don’t Brush It Off
The key takeaway here is: know your horse’s baseline health and stay tuned in to any changes. brush off lameness, swelling, or stiffness as something that will resolve on its own. Horses can present lame for many reasons. If your horse shows consistent or recurring lameness or stiffness—even if it goes away and comes back—contact your vet. Swelling and heat without an apparent cause, and a change in behavior or reluctance to perform tasks are also all symptoms that should be taken seriously.
Again, early intervention is key to treating OA and keeping your horse comfortable. So, keep a close eye on him, look him over every day, and do a check-in while you’re riding to see if you notice any changes in behavior or movement.
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