Be sure that when you give your horse a supplement, you are providing nutrition, not drugs. Also be sure that you are buying the proper building blocks in the supplements you purchase. A joint is the area where bones come together. They shouldn't touch. The ends of the bones should be covered with a smooth layer of cartilage that produces a thick fluid that serves as both cushion and lubrication.
Joints have a poor blood supply, so they grow and heal slowly.
Just as with bones, young, fast-growing horses may need nutritional help so that they don't outgrow their joint tissues. David Davenport is a veterinarian and human nutrition specialist based in Tennessee. This article was originally published in Fall 2000. Visit our Contact Us page.