Horses are magnificent. They seem to fly over the ground, they can carry heavy burdens, and they can leap over things higher than their head. However, they have relatively delicate legs and feet for their size and power. An equine bone and joint support supplement can mean the difference between pain and lameness and continued health and usefulness.
Supplements may consist of single nutrients or basic vitamin and mineral formulas created to make up for deficiencies in forage. Horses that once ranged over miles of mixed vegetation are confined to stalls or kept in fields. They are fed hay which is usually a mono-crop of grass like timothy or alfalfa. At most, it will be a mix of just a few grasses.
Pastures may offer more of a variety than hay, but they are often seeded and mowed to make them lush and as pretty as a lawn. Mowing keeps the grasses from setting seed. The seeds are where horses get nutrients like Vitamin E, fatty acids, and calcium, things needed for optimum health. For this reason, most feeds formulated for horses contain added vitamins and minerals.
Horses under heavy work are also under added stress. Their legs and feet carry enormous weight, withstand great force, and absorb a lot of shock. This may cause bones and joints to deteriorate. Targeted nutrition can help off-set this unnatural stress. Among the most familiar nutrients are hyaluronic acid (a component of joint fluid), MSM (sulfur, a naturally-occurring mineral essential for health and strong bones), and glucosamine and chondroitin, which are building blocks of cartilage.
Equine athletes are in a class by themselves. Racing horses must train hard and compete harder. Jumpers also need constant training and are asked to perform in ways that require great effort and strength. Their legs and feet must lift their huge bodies over obstacles and withstand severe impact with the ground.
Then there is the landing. The entire weight of the animal - plus the rider - lands on one foot and then is pushed off as the rest of the body moves forward to clear the jump and regain balance. This action is done over and over during training and competition. No wonder the many bones of the legs and feet are subject to pain and perhaps career-ending lameness.
This immense stress can, of course, cause pain and lameness. A lame horse cannot compete and may never do so again. Specialized formulas provide nutrients that have been proved to help a horse repair daily damage to soft and hard tissue. These vitamins, minerals, and nutritive substances can hasten recovery time and make bones and joints more resilient. Preventing injury is much easier than trying to fix it after it happens, so better nutrition makes a lot of sense.
Bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and hooves are all important to the soundness of the horse. Keeping your animals happy, comfortable, and strong is why you will want to investigate the different products on the market and choose the ones that fit your animals and their training programs.
Supplements may consist of single nutrients or basic vitamin and mineral formulas created to make up for deficiencies in forage. Horses that once ranged over miles of mixed vegetation are confined to stalls or kept in fields. They are fed hay which is usually a mono-crop of grass like timothy or alfalfa. At most, it will be a mix of just a few grasses.
Pastures may offer more of a variety than hay, but they are often seeded and mowed to make them lush and as pretty as a lawn. Mowing keeps the grasses from setting seed. The seeds are where horses get nutrients like Vitamin E, fatty acids, and calcium, things needed for optimum health. For this reason, most feeds formulated for horses contain added vitamins and minerals.
Horses under heavy work are also under added stress. Their legs and feet carry enormous weight, withstand great force, and absorb a lot of shock. This may cause bones and joints to deteriorate. Targeted nutrition can help off-set this unnatural stress. Among the most familiar nutrients are hyaluronic acid (a component of joint fluid), MSM (sulfur, a naturally-occurring mineral essential for health and strong bones), and glucosamine and chondroitin, which are building blocks of cartilage.
Equine athletes are in a class by themselves. Racing horses must train hard and compete harder. Jumpers also need constant training and are asked to perform in ways that require great effort and strength. Their legs and feet must lift their huge bodies over obstacles and withstand severe impact with the ground.
Then there is the landing. The entire weight of the animal - plus the rider - lands on one foot and then is pushed off as the rest of the body moves forward to clear the jump and regain balance. This action is done over and over during training and competition. No wonder the many bones of the legs and feet are subject to pain and perhaps career-ending lameness.
This immense stress can, of course, cause pain and lameness. A lame horse cannot compete and may never do so again. Specialized formulas provide nutrients that have been proved to help a horse repair daily damage to soft and hard tissue. These vitamins, minerals, and nutritive substances can hasten recovery time and make bones and joints more resilient. Preventing injury is much easier than trying to fix it after it happens, so better nutrition makes a lot of sense.
Bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and hooves are all important to the soundness of the horse. Keeping your animals happy, comfortable, and strong is why you will want to investigate the different products on the market and choose the ones that fit your animals and their training programs.
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