Equine Joint Inflammation

Healthy joints in horses are a carefully balanced biochemical, shock-absorbing system. When this balance is upset by inflammation, a reaction begins that can lead to long-term, permanent lameness unless the joint is properly treated.

While some horses with poor conformation have a genetic predisposition to joint problems, joint inflammation more typically begins when a joint is overburdened. Joints in any animal have a high risk of mechanical injury, but joints in equine athletes are perhaps at higher risk due to hard training or competition. Injuries can lead to development of arthritis, which, for the purposes of this guide, is the general term for noninfectious inflammation in a joint.

Evidence of an inflamed joint may include swelling, pain and heat around the joint. These external indicators point to internal disruptions in the biochemical balance of the joint.

Joints are naturally protected by synovial fluid that contains long molecular chains of sodium hyaluronate. These high-molecular-weight chains intertwine and tangle to form a protective network that is vital to the health and function of the joint. When a joint is inflamed, the sodium hyaluronate degrades to a lower molecular weight. The network breaks down, and the normal function of the synovial fluid is disrupted.

Highlighted terms are defined in the Glossary.

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