There are an assortment of do-it-yourself solutions or treatments you can use for your senior horse companion if he is having a lot of pain and inflammation with his arthritis. And a few of them may be accomplished at the same time frame. Since every single horse is unique, please remember that some treatments may not work for him and a few may do. Treat your horses in line with their needs. The best equine care is found at software veterinary.

For joint pains that may need your horse to be confined for a long period of time, ensure you make him comfortable by using a box stall with lots of cushy hay and soft grass. Some horses are herd sour and needs their buddy at all times so make sure you place his buddy at a near distance. The last thing you want is your irritated horse to be fretting and pacing more looking for his friend.

You can try using a flexible ice pack or even a bag of frozen peas tucked in a towel on the swollen joint for 5 minutes. Repeat 3 times in a row with 15 minutes gap right after every application. Wrap the joint with a standing bandage to alleviate the swelling. In lowering edema, try Neo-Ice Equine bandages or an ice gel to significantly penetrate on the affected area and ease the pain.

Since he’ll just get as rigid as all get out if left standing in a stall, take him out twice daily and hand walk him. Get rid of his bandage first then stroll for about 15 minutes to get limber. After walking, you may rewrap the bandage as soon as you get back to his stall. Exercises should be gradually improved each day. You will need to do this about 4 times a day as he advances and then also lessen the length of time he is to be confined to about half the original period of time.

You’ll be doing controlled exercises like hand-walking, ponying at a walk or slow trot or riding at a walk or slow trot. These all depend on what condition your senior is in, so use your discretion. Take a time off if the swelling is back and slow down on the exercises.

If there is no swelling an hour after the exercise session(s) you should be able to turn your senior back out into this regular pasture and then slowly get back into an easy exercise program. However, if there are signs of swelling and inflammation, we advise caution by calling your vet as soon as possible for reevaluation.

As a licensed animal medical practitioner, Cornelia Haul has been using the best veterinary computer programs software in her practice. Within her specialties are veterinary advantage using veterinary computer programs in offering the best equine care.

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