General wear and tear of joints can lead to joint and mobility problems, especially when the cartilage that protects the bones of the joints becomes damaged or even destroyed. Although all horse joints are susceptible to damage, those most commonly affected include the upper knee joint, front fetlocks, hocks and coffin joints in the forefeet. Joint issues may result from injury, repetitive concussion, an abnormal growth pattern, poor/inappropriate shoeing, or inherited factors, such as poor conformation.
Increased mobility with Activgait
Mobility issues can also be due to muscle and ligament trauma and circulatory problems. Apart from obvious lameness and stiffness, sometimes the signs are more subtle, such as poor performance, jumping refusals, changes in behaviour. Many factors have a bearing on a horse’s mobility/agility but there are several ways that horse owners can have a positive influence. Firstly, excess weight puts more pressure on the weight-bearing joints, particularly the knees and hips. A horse should not be overweight and should have a suitable diet for the proper development and maintenance of cartilage. Exercise helps maintain a healthy weight and improve circulation. Disuse of a sore joint will cause the muscles around it to weaken, resulting in pain. Owners should be encouraged to exercise an affected horse gently and frequently, avoiding too hard or too soft ground. Horses, particularly working animals, require adequate rest for recovery from exertion and for healing. Improper, or inappropriate, shoeing causes many joint and muscle problems. The feeding of appropriate supplements can suppress the action of damaging free radicals and decrease stiffness.
Humans have been using plants to alleviate conditions, such as stiffness and mobility issues, for thousands of years. For centuries, North American Indians have used native plants for specific conditions, including those associated with reduced mobility and old age. Pro-Equine has taken this effective management of human conditions using natural ingredients and applied it to horses.
Pro-Equine’s supplement Activgait is carefully formulated to support equine joint and cartilage health and to aid joint mobility and elasticity, in horses young and old. Activgait is quickly absorbed and fast-working. As with all Pro-Equine products, Activgait conforms with FEI regulations so can be used while competing.
The saponins in Activgait’s key ingredient encourage a ‘friendly’ intestinal flora so toxins that can cause joint issues are kept away and absorbed into the bloodstream. Pro-Equine combines ingredients that work with the circulation and help ensure the speedy delivery of the key ingredients. Certain ingredients help with the elimination of water, speeding up the clearance of accumulated toxins from the joints.
See and feel the difference when your horse is on Activgait
“I have a 14-year old mare and I decided I would start to feed a mobility supplement. I put her on Activgait and in a couple of weeks I started to notice a difference. She became quite a bit more athletic in her movement and was certainly feeling good within herself. Usually I would look to try and boost her energy at competitions but that is not necessary when she is on the Activgait supplement, and, to top it off, her marks for her extended trot work have increased by at least one mark since putting her on Activgait! I am so delighted with this product – it certainly does what it says on the tin!!!” Lauren C
Pro-Equine chooses not to use any ingredients which do not conform with FEI regulations and which can have detrimental side-effects. Devil’s Claw (proper name Harpagophytum procumbens) has been widely used for horses’ muscles and joints but is not recommended for a horse that has, or may have, stomach or intestinal issues. Since January 2016, the FEI has listed Devil’s Claw as a banned substance in the UK, bringing the UK in line with other EU countries, such as Germany and France. The British Racehorse Authority (BRA) also classifies Devil’s Claw (which is easily traced via blood and urine samples) as a banned substance.
