Benefits of Turmeric for Horses: Natural Supplement for laminitis
Benefits of Turmeric for Horses: Natural Supplement for Horses and ponies prone to laminitis
Each year, several horses and ponies suffer with a condition known as Laminitis. The British Horse Society (BHS) say that 1 in 10 horses suffer from the condition, which any horse can end up with. Approximately 90% of laminitis cases can be attributed to an underlying hormonal disorder, but for any horse, prevention is far better than cure. Prevention is so important because laminitis is irreversible.
Treatment is initiated to minimize further damage, rather than to cure the condition. One key factor in this prevention is managing your horse’s weight and condition carefully whilst ensuring that their diet contains all of the required nutrients to keep them happy and healthy. It is also vital that as a horse owner, you are in a position to identify early signs of the condition.
Firstly, it is important to understand the difference between acute and chronic laminitis. Our article all about laminitis can tell you more, but here’s a guide to get you started. Symptoms of acute laminitis can be severe and come on quickly. In contrast, a horse with chronic laminitis is likely to show ongoing or relapsing symptoms.
Acute laminitis symptoms
- Reluctance to move or turn
- Visibly lame with shortened or stiffened strides
- Change in behaviour and temperament
- Symptoms can be similar to colic
- Laminitic stance – leaning backwards onto heels to relieve pressure at the front
Chronic laminitis symptoms
- Growth rings on hoof (wider at the heel)
- Abnormalities of the angle and/or shape of the hoof
- Large, cresty neck
- Heat in the hoof wall
Read more on laminitis here.
To put it simply, laminitis is damage and inflammation of the tissue between the hoof and the underlying coffin bone. In order to try to reduce the occurrence of laminitis, a diet which supports the inflammatory system is a positive step. Given that inflammation is a significant factor in laminitis, it makes sense that Turmeric would be beneficial. Although the advantages of Turmeric for human health has been utilised for over 4,000 years, benefits of turmeric to horses is something that has only been spoken about more recently.
Turmeric is a plant from the ginger family with a familiar yellow colour which comes from a compound called Curcumin. As one of over 200 compounds within Turmeric, Curcumin is the main active ingredient. It is a strong antioxidant and can help with anti-inflammatory properties and the ability to increase the number of antioxidants that the body produces. From muscle recovery, joint function, through to insulin sensitivity, turmeric components can support general health and wellbeing over the lifetime of the horse. Turmeric for horses with laminitis is very beneficial as Curcumin has shown the ability to support the regulation of inflammatory pathways, which is particularly important alongside its insulin sensitivity.
However, when choosing how to add Turmeric as a natural supplement for horses to their diet, it is important to note that not all the options out there will be as effective as each other. Turmeric for horses is not easily absorbed by the body, so its delivery and formulation are vital to ensure horses receive maximum benefit and you don’t waste money on adding something to your horse’s diet that doesn’t make a difference. The Golden Paste Company recognised the challenges of feeding Turmeric in powder form which included poor bioavailability, wastage, stained skin and horses not finding it palatable. This inspired them to create TurmerAid™, a powerful pelleted natural turmeric supplement for horses.
Carefully formulated with key ingredients for maximum absorption and bioavailability, the TurmerAid™ complete Turmeric pellets for horses contains a minimum 5.1% curcumin, yucca, black pepper, linseed and apple cider vinegar.
A 2kg tub of TurmerAid™ costs £23.20 and will give you approximately 40 days of supply for a 500kg horse.
