Category Archives: Supplements

How Can You Cut Your Horse-Related Costs?

Posted by Liz Goldsmith in Commentary, equine nutrition, Horse care, horse health, joint supplements and tagged with , , , , ,

This is a hard time for horse owners. Not only are economic swings making everyone nervous, but many parts of the country had bad growing seasons, so that hay is already (in New England, at least) at an all time high.

In an effort to keep my horse-related expenditures in line, I’ve been looking into several things:

  • Buying enough hay to last for the winter now. While I don’t have enough storage space for that much hay, I’m talking to my supplier to find out if they’ll keep an extra 100 bales for me until I need it. I suspect that what looks expensive now, may seem like a bargain later. In addition, I would like to feed the same hay all winter for consistency.
  • Selling off tack that I no longer use. Most of us have stuff in our tack rooms that is no longer something we use often. I’ll admit that I have a box full of expensive bits and a saddle that haven’t been used in more than a year. It’s time for me to list them on eBay!
  • Simplifying my feed and supplement regime. Over the years I’ve tried to streamline what I feed my horses. They eat a mostly forage diet, and they get certain supplements based on their needs. But I still buy several different products. It occurs to me that it might be less expensive (and certainly easier) if I could buy one product that met more needs. HorseTech is very obliging about customizing their supplements and I’ve got a call in to them to talk about a variation on their Glanzen Complete product.
  • Take advantage of free or flat rate shipping to stock up on essentials. I love the fact that SmartPak offers flat rate shipping. Although I can easily drive to their store, it’s probably less expensive for me just to order from them. It certainly eliminates impulse purchases. On the other hand, both SmartPak and Dover have clearance sections where you can pick up some great bargains. I often by supplements there because I don’t care about damaged packaging.

For more money saving tips, there’s a great Web site out there with an ever expanding list: www.moneysavinghorsetips.com!

You might also want to read this article: Horse Owners Look to Save During Economic Crunch.

Gene Therapy for Equine Joints May Help Humans

Posted by Liz Goldsmith in Commentary, equestrian, equine, Equine lameness, Horse care, horse health, horses, joint supplements and tagged with , , , , , , ,

Research in gene therapy to help heal joint injuries in horses may provide breakthroughs that can be applied to humans. According to Dr. Laurie Goodrich, a veterinarian that specializes in equine lameness and surgery at Colorado State University, horses have a very similar joint anatomy, biochemical and molecular makeup as humans, and joint injuries in horses often respond very similarly as humans to treatments. The Federal Drug Administration has recently recognized that the horse is an excellent representative study model for cartilage injury and osteoarthritis in people.

Goodrich and her team of researchers have received a $678,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health to investigate the success of treating joint injuries with a protein injected into injured joints within a virus-like agent called a viral vector. The hope is that gene therapy will help heal cartilage and will also prevent the development of osteoarthritis in horses.

Cartilage heals only on a limited basis there is just not as much growth factor ( a specific type of protein) available in the joints and cartilage as in other parts of the body. Growth factors signal the body to heal because they are responsible for a number of cellular functions, such as those that produce healthy tissue or matrix around the cells within cartilage to help heal injuries.

Studies show that the growth factor, called insulin-like growth factor, or IGF-I, helps cartilage develop and  promotes healing of injured cartilage. However, researchers have not been able to develop a way to maintain enough IGF-I in an injured joint to help it heal. Goodrich and her team hope that using a viral vector to deliver DNA that increases production of IGF-I, a protein, will increase healing in damaged joint tissues.The researchers will test the concept in a laboratory setting before beginning clinical trials on horses with joint injuries.

In comparison, current treatments for osteoarthritis in horses such as Adequan and Legend alleviate the symptoms but do not enable the cartilage to heal, so if this treatment is successful, it will represent a major breakthrough for horses — and maybe even their riders.

Recent Info on Equine Joint Supplements

Posted by Liz Goldsmith in Commentary, 1, equine, horses, joint supplements and tagged with , , , , , ,

As the owner of an aging horse, I’m always keeping my eyes open for information on joint supplements and scientific research. Neutriceuticals are still a gray area, mostly because there is no regulation and very little scientific evidence of their efficacy.

I came across two references recently that I found interesting:

  • Glucosamine and Joint Health: Pharmacologic Research Ongoing by: Stacey Oke, DVM, MSc — Canadian researchers recently compared the pharmacologic properties of two different forms of glucosamine–hydrochloride and sulphate. They measured significantly higher levels of glucosamine in synovial fluid samples from horses receiving the oral glucosamine sulphate formulation as compared to synovial fluid levels in horses receiving oral glucosamine hydrochloride.
  • Update on Equine Joint Healthcare, a Round Table Discussion on Chondroprotective Agents: This discussion which was sponsored by Nutramax (the manufacturer of Cosequin), but it has some excellent information and insights from some real heavy hitters. The discussion is moderated by Wayne McIlwraith, BVSc, PhD, DSc, DACVS, Director of Equine Orthopedics Research enter and Professor of Surgery at the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine. The participating vets were Kent Allen, DVM, Viginia Equine Imaging; Michael Davis, DVM, MS, Founder and CEO of the New England Equine Medical & Surgical Center; Douglas Langer, DVM, MS, VP, Partner & Director of Surgery & Diagnostic Imaging at the Wisconsin Equine Clinic & Hospital; Brian MacNamara, DVM, Warwick Equine Clinic; and Richard Stevens, DVM, Conejo Valley Veterinary Hospital. It is well worth reading.

The article raised some very interesting points about joint supplements. The vets talk about a study conducted The statements that stunned me the most was this one from Dr. Stevens: “There was a very recent report (www.consumerlabs.com/results/gluco.asp) that compared the labeled ingredients versus what was actually in the product. Of the five veterinary glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate products tested as of September 2007, two failed: One contained only 0.7% of the labeled quantity of chondroitin sulfate and 47.2% of the labeled glucosamine hydrochloride amount, and the other had only 2.1% of the labeled chondroitin sulfate amount.”

And this one from Dr. McIlwaith, “Research by Oke showed that 78% of equine glucosamine products didn’t meet their label claims; 39% had levels below the labeled claim (some even had none of a listed ingredient) and the others had levels signifi cantly higher than indicated. Until the manufacturers have to prove efficacy, there are always going to be problems, but having the products match their labels would be a good start.”

Wow! At the prices you pay for most joint supplements, it’s appalling to realize that you might not get anything even close to what you are paying for. Among the five products tested by Consumer Labs for pets, only the supplements by Nutramax (Cosequin) and Martingale Labs (GLC) contained the ingredients in the percentages claimed on the labels. Now, this study was by no means comprehensive, but it does make you skeptical of the “juju” powder!

How Old is that Horse, Really?

Posted by Liz Goldsmith in 1, Commentary, equestrian, equine, Horse care, horses, joint supplements and tagged with , , , , , , ,

A few days ago my Trakehner gelding turned 17. I’ve owned him for 12 years and it’s hard to believe that so much time has passed since I brought him home.

So, how old is he in human years? I’ve been doing some research into comparing horse and human age, but haven’t come up with a definitive answer. According to the horse to human age calculator, a 17 year old horse is the equivalent of a human that is 37.4 years old. That doesn’t seem so old, in fact, that seems pretty young. I retired my first horse at the age of 17 and I was about 37 at the time. He certainly seemed older than I did.

Other sites provide different estimates. This one has a chart that looks more in line with what I imagined:

Human Horse
20 5
40 10
50 15
60 20
70 25
80 30
90 35

The good news is that like their owners (50 is the new 40!), horses seem to be aging more gracefully now than in years past. Joint injections are now far more commonplace, joint supplements are widely available and use far more widespread, and “alternative” technologies such as chiropractic, massage and acupuncture are used by many owners to help their horses stay more comfortable.

Certainly some horses are inherently more sound than others. Conformation plays a role in ongoing soundness, as does history of use and care.

One thing I find encouraging is the proliferation of aged horses in high end competitions. A quick review of the horses entered into the 2008 Rolex three day event shows that there are four aged 17 or older:

LIVINGSTONE: b. g., 16.3 hands, 18 years
ANTIGUA: b. g., 16 hands, 19 years,
DUNRATHS ALTO: dk. br. g., 17.2 hands, 17 years,
MR. BIG: br. g., 15 hands, 17 years

That’s pretty impressive! Rolex is a demanding course and to compete at this level a horse has to be in top shape.

Other disciplines have other “geriatric” stars: In dressage, Gestion Bonfire retired at age 19 and Courtney King is competing Idocus, currently 18, at the Grand Prix level.

The world famous Lippizaner stallions from the Spanish Riding School in Vienna often compete well into their 20s: Siglavy Mantua I retired at age 28 and at age 22, Conversano Amata I is described as a “real demon for work.”

In the show jumping arena, you have famous jumpers like Milton, who retired at age 17, Gem Twist, who competed at the highest levels of jumping until the age of 18, and For the Moment, who was AGA Horse of the Year at age 21!

So, I’m hoping that I have a few more years of foxhunting on my buddy.

Are Treeless Saddles for You?

Posted by Liz Goldsmith in Commentary, equestrian, equine, Equine Law, horses, joint supplements, Reviews, saddles, Tack and tagged with , , , , , , , , , ,

Treeless saddles are all the buzz. While conventional saddles with wooden or fiberglass trees have reigned supreme for thousands of years (the first “treed” saddles appeared in 200 BC in Asia), during the last decade there has been a vocal movement toward treeless saddles.

Some people claim they are more natural, a throwback to saddle designs before the tree was invented, some say they eliminate many of the problems with conventional treed saddles by moving more closely with the horse’s back, and other people like the fact that you can use the same saddle on several different horses.

Trees were first added to saddles to help distribute a rider’s weight more effectively. This was particularly important when armor was involved. The downside of treed saddles is that they need to be carefully fitted to a horse’s back or it can cause soreness, muscle wasting, and in extreme cases, nerve damage.

Advocates of treeless saddles see them as a panacea to these problems. And they do have their place. Today’s treeless saddles are much more than just bareback pads with stirrups. Many of them feature sophisticated designs that help distribute a rider’s weight effectively over horse’s back without causing pressure points, most are very secure to ride in, and are very comfortable. However, to really protect your horse’s back, they should be used with special pads that create a channel over the horse’s spine. The pressure points that can occur with a treeless saddle are primarily either under the stirrup attachment points (if you ride with a lot of weight in your stirrups) or over the horse’s loins (if you are put in a chair seat by the saddle).

My Experiences

I became intrigued by treeless saddles about four years ago. It was winter, a time when I mostly trail ride, and I wanted to feel close to my horse, but I wanted more security than a bareback pad.

The first saddle I tried was a Hilason that I bought on eBay for a couple of hundred dollars. It was a total and complete waste of money! The saddle was stiff as cardboard to the point where it sat on top of my horse like a hat! The seat rubbed my legs. I tried taking the stuffing out of the pommel to see if it would fit better and the zipper broke! Since I’ve read that some people have had better experiences, I suspect there is a lot of variability between saddles.

It was about this time the the Barefoot Cheyenne became popular. I found a used one for sale on Endurance.net (this is a great site if you’re looking for used endurance and/or treeless saddles). Compared to the Hilason, it was heaven. The saddle hugged my horse. The nubuck leather was soft and supple, it was comfortable and never rubbed. I rode in it for about a year, but eventually got frustrated because it put me in a slight chair seat and sold it.

After selling the Cheyenne, I spent a lot of time researching different treeless designs. Eventually, I decided on a Torsion Extra Light saddle. The Torsion brand has been around a long time. In fact, the Barefoot saddles are patterned after them. The Extra Light is the minimalist version of the saddle. It has no flaps or fenders to speak of, just a seat. When you sit in this saddle, you can feel your horse’s back and yet you feel completely secure. I’ve had a few “interesting” rides on my TB gelding in this saddle and never felt unbalanced. I have the version in Buffalo leather and find it very durable. When I bought this saddle it was not available with inserts. From what I read today, these can help distribute the rider’s weight and are recommended if you weigh more than 190 lbs.

A few months later, I saw a Freeform Classic for sale on the Yahoo Treeless Saddle Group. This was a saddle that intrigued me because it is modular; you can change out the seat for different sizes, and you can move the position of the stirrup attachments. My full review is here.

I have been eying the new “Ghost” saddle from Italy, especially the Phantom bareback pad.

My Results

So far, I’ve used the saddles on both my horses. One is a Trakehner with a broad back, low withers and wide shoulders. The other is a TB with more prominent withers and a short back. To date I’ve had no problems with back soreness, despite the fact that I’m not exactly a lightweight rider. I am careful to protect their backs by padding properly. I use a Saddleright pad under my Torsion and a Skito pad under my Freeform. Neither of my horses has extremely prominent withers, so I cannot say how well the treeless designs will work for that body shape. Both saddles fit both horses just fine; this is not the case with my treed saddles as one takes a wide tree and the other takes a medium.

I find both saddles to be comfortable in different ways. They each give me a closer feel to the horse and I believe that they have improved my riding. That said, with a treeless saddle the communication goes both ways. I think you need to have a quiet and secure seat because your horse feels every shift in your weight. Treed saddles are far more forgiving of rider error, so treeless saddles might not be a good choice for a rider that is unbalanced.

Since my Trakehner is so broad, I find that with the Torsion saddle, my hips are spread quite wide. I don’t have a real problem with this, but it is a design consideration for people who might find this uncomfortable. Heather Moffett sells a hip saver saddle cover that is supposed to address this issue. The design of the Freeform saddle addresses this issue in the style of the seat.

I cannot mount from the ground using either saddle. Of course, since both my horses are over 16 hands, I find it difficult to mount from the ground even with a treed saddle! Mostly, I’ve had no problem with slippage. Occasionally, my Torsion saddle will slip on my Trakehner, mostly because he’s so round. I fixed that my adding a Thinline pad under my Saddleright.

I have not yet tried a treeless jumping saddle. The Freeform site suggests that you can jump in that saddle but the flaps are way too straight to accommodate my leg in a jumping position, so I’ve not used it to jump. Currently there are two types available on the market. Ansur makes two models, the Konkusion and the Elite and Trekker introduced the Bascule last year(this is not a true treeless, but rather has a leather flex tree). I am not yet convinced that the pressure that would be created by riding in a half seat/jumping position and the impact that results when you land from a fence with so much weight in your stirrups would be adequately dispersed by a treeless saddle.

Conclusions

I find treeless saddles to be a great addition to my tack room. I love their light weight. I love being able to use the same saddle on both horses, and I enjoy the really close contact feel. For much of the riding that I do, a treeless saddle works fine. However, for foxhunting and jumping, I think I’ll stick to my conventional treed saddles.

While my horses have not had any problems with the treeless saddles, I do not think they are the panacea they are made out to be. Yes, they can be used on many shapes and sizes of horse, but they are not going to work on every horse. And fit is just as important as with treed saddles, it’s just different. With treeless saddles you need to be very aware of your padding system to make sure it is offering your horse’s spine (and nerves) the protection they need.

They are particularly suitable for horses with lower withers and for riders who are well balanced and who ride “lightly” in their stirrups. I would not recommend them for riders who have problems with balance.

Avoiding EBay Saddle Scams

Posted by Liz Goldsmith in Commentary, equestrian, equine, Equine Law, horses, joint supplements, Reviews, saddles, Tack and tagged with , , ,

I frequent the saddle listings on eBay, looking for those great deals on saddles that I’ve always wanted to try. Sometimes the deals are too good to be true — for a reason: they are scams. Mostly, these are people who don’t have an item to sell but have pirated the photo from another auction. Sometimes a scammer has hijacked a seller’s account, using their positive feedback to trick people into bidding. And occasionally, people are selling a saddle that is not as represented.

How can you tell if an auction is legit? Here are a few ways:

  • Only buy from sellers with positive feedback.
  • Look at the seller’s other listings and past listings. Do they have a history of selling equine-related items? If the only thing they’ve sold is antique coins or car parts, chances are their account has been hijacked.
  • Only pay through Paypal, using a credit card. If there’s a problem you have more avenues of recourse.
  • The photos should of the actual item being sold, not a retail shot. Ask for additional photos if they don’t show all the views that you want to see. A legitimate seller will take them for you.
  • Ask questions. A legitimate seller will have answers, a scammer won’t know.
  • Ask specifically if the tree is sound or if there is any damage to the saddle.
  • Never buy from someone with private feedback.
  • Always correspond with the seller through eBay — if they list a separate email or phone number the account has likely been hijacked.
  • If you don’t win the auction but get a “Second Chance” offer, make sure that it is from the original seller. It’s a common scam for third parties to make these offers.
  • If you think the auction is fake, try doing a search for that saddle using the “completed” items search. You might find the same photos used in a previous auction.
  • If a deal looks too good to be true, it generally is.

If you think an auction is a scam, you should report it to eBay. I hate to see people taken in by schemers. It’s hard enough to come up with the money for a saddle; you should at least get what you’ve paid for.

Cetyl Myristoleate Shows Results in Clinical Trials

Posted by Liz Goldsmith in Commentary, equine, horses, joint supplements and tagged with , , , ,
Recently I wrote about the inconclusive — and mostly anecdotal — evidence that oral joint supplements have a real effect on lessening the impact of osteoarthritis. Today, I read a report that bucks that trend with some clinical research for a product that I’ve not yet tried: Myristol.

According to a press release issued by the manufacturer’s of Myristol, an oral joint supplement, their product has demonstrated improvements in lameness when compared to horses that were not given the supplement. The blinded, controlled study was conducted on 39 horses over the period of 42 days.

The results of the clinical trial were presented at the 2007 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, held Dec. 1-5 in Orlando, Fla., by Kevin Keegan, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, associate professor of equine surgery at the University of Missouri.

Myristol contains cetyl myristoleate, glucosamine hydrochloride, methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), and hydrolyzed collagen. “Each individual ingredient has shown some positive effect in either human clinical trials or in vitro (in the lab) in horses,” said Keegan.

For the study, 39 horses in Missouri and Florida (on a broodmare farm, a Thoroughbred retirement center, and in two university equestrian programs) were selected for naturally occurring osteoarthritis that caused Grade 2-4 lameness on a scale of 0-4. Horses were either in the control group (no Myristol) or the treated group, which received three scoops (4 ounces) of Myristol daily for 14 days, then two scoops (2.67 oz.) daily for 28 days (42 total days of supplementation). Lameness exams at Days 1, 14, 28, and 42 were used to assess the efficacy of the supplement, and subjective quality of life was rated using a specialized 10-cm visual analog scale.

Researchers found that treatment with Myristol significantly improved lameness score, lameness at the walk, response to joint flexion, lameness after flexion, and quality of life (P values from 0.02-0.05, determining statistical significance) compared to controls.

“Despite high group variation, we detected significant differences in five of six variables measured,” he summarized. “Therefore, we conclude that oral administration of Myristol had beneficial clinical effects on horses with naturally occurring OA. The most apparent beneficial effects were in parameters related to joint flexion. For many of these horses, this was a significant improvement in their quality of life.”

More details on the results of the study are available here.

This research is intriguing. I have personally taken Cetyl M, which is a joint supplement whose prime ingredients is cetyl myristoleate, Glucosamine-HCL, MSM and Hyaluronic Acid. I thought that I felt a difference in my creaky knees (which always feel worse during hunt season), but it’s hard to judge how much impact can be attributed to the placebo effect. I have not yet tried it on my horses,

Myristol, unlike Cetyl M, is available only through veterinarians. Given that they do not publish prices on their Web site — they say only, “Because of the numerous active ingredients in Myristol, it will cost more than some supplements,” I can only assume that the price is frighteningly high.

It is certainly worth investigating, though, and I will follow up here after I speak to my vet.

Wrinkle creams and joint supplements

Posted by Liz Goldsmith in Commentary, equine, horses, joint supplements and tagged with , , ,

Last week I was standing in the Smartpak store comparing joint supplements. I always visit the clearance section there and at Dover Saddlery, because you can buy products with damaged packaging for a good price. I can even convince myself that a mere $50 is a bargain for a container of juju powder that promises to make your horse feel years younger and nimble as a foal.

It struck me then that equine joint supplement are a lot like the products a lot women buy to combat wrinkles. Think about it: these are all products which have no scientific proof of efficacy, sell for obscene dollars per ounce, and have large and vocal followings by people who swear that they work. Because you want them to work!

After many years of feeding oral joint supplements, I finally started with injectables . . . and had my big horse’s hocks injected. That’s what really made a difference. For months I’d known he was not quite right. He felt heavy on his forehand and stumbled more frequently. 10 days after the hock injections, he really did feel years younger and I found that I could really enjoy riding cross country — not having to worry if he was going to trip. In truth, injecting him monthly (or even twice a month) is less expensive than buying miracle powders and I don’t have to worry about him leaving it in his feed dish.

I’m sure that many horses do show some response to the oral joint supplements. Certainly there are enough testimonials out there from satisfied customers and I was pretty sure that, at least when I started feeding them, my horse did feel less stiff. I spoke to the owner of one of the well-known supplement manufacturers at Equine Affaire in 2007. He told me that before he worked in the equine industry, he’d worked with hogs. With them, it was far easier to test the efficacy of a drug. You had a large population of genetically identical animals and after testing a drug on a population, you killed them and were able to study the results. Not a regime possible with horses! His theory is that people wouldn’t still keep buying the products if they didn’t work.

But I’m not so sure. There are still plenty of people (mostly women) who are dropping $125/ounce for Creme de la Mer Moisturizing cream and who believe wholeheartedly that it works better than Oil of Olay. Believe me, if I read any scientific proof that there was a cream out there that would make my 47-year old skin look like I was 20 again, I would pay $125 in a heart beat. Until then, I will stick with drug store varieties and save the “hope in a jar” for my horses.