The equine supplement industry is vast—there's a product for nearly every aspect of your horse's health, from coat shine and hoof strength to weight management and boosting energy levels. But among all the options out there, joint supplements stand out as one of the most critical investments you can make in your horse's long-term well-being.

A quality horse joint supplement can reduce inflammation, lubricate joints, and support cartilage health. But with so many products on the market, knowing which one to trust isn't always straightforward.

When evaluating your options, the right supplement should check three key boxes: it comes from a reputable source, contains high-quality ingredients, and is backed by research that proves it works.

To help you cut through the noise, we've compiled a list of the top equine joint supplements available in Canada and the U.S., so you can make a confident, informed decision for your horse's health.

Key Takeaways

• Glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM and hyaluronic acid (optional) are important ingredients to look for in an equine joint supplement.

• Look for markers of a high-quality product, including Veterinary Health Product (VHP) certification and good manufacturing practices (GMP)

• Products with 100% active ingredients (like TRI-ACTA) ensure your horse is getting the maximum joint health benefit with every dose.

Equine Joint Supplements Evaluation Criteria

When evaluating equine joint supplements, we looked at products from all angles: price, ingredients, benefits, manufacturing practices, and more. This gives a well-rounded view of each supplement, and will give you a good idea of what you can expect if you use it for your horse. 

Price

How much the equine joint supplement costs is an important consideration. Most of us will take a look at the most expensive option and the cheapest and find something in the middle. After all, that’s the happy medium, right? But when you’re looking at the price, consider the dosage amount.

A cheaper supplement might seem like a better deal at first glance, but what is the dosage per serving? For example, if each dosage of a cheaper brand of supplement requires two scoops but the more expensive one only requires one scoop, you might find that they’re actually the same price per dose. Many joint supplements are 80–90% inactive ingredients (e.g., fillers, binders, flavourings), so you’re getting less therapeutic value per dose. Learn how to read a supplement label so you can understand exactly how much value you’re getting per dose. TRI-ACTA contains 100% active ingredients, so you know you’re getting the highest therapeutic value you can get per dose.

TRI-ACTA H.A. for Equine

Our maximum strength formula is perfect for horses that are ageing, experiencing arthritis and stiffness, are in training and competition, or under a heavy workload.

Learn More

Ingredients

The best equine joint supplement will have the highest-quality, most effective ingredients per dose.

There are three essential, science-backed ingredients to look for in equine joint supplements: 

1. Glucosamine is a naturally occurring compound that’s used by your horse’s body to produce, maintain, and repair cartilage and ligaments.

2. Chondroitin sulfate is often paired with glucosamine as these ingredients have a synergistic effect when used together. While glucosamine provides the building blocks for cartilage and ligaments, chondroitin sulfate acts as an anti-inflammatory protector by helping to stop the enzymes that break down connective tissue.

3. Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is another important ingredient in an equine joint supplement, as it provides additional anti-inflammatory support.

4. Hyaluronic acid (HA) provides additional mobility support by increasing the viscosity of the synovial fluid in your horse’s joints, allowing better ease of movement. It’s not an essential inclusion in an equine joint supplement, but it’s a key one to look for if you have a senior horse or horse with a joint condition like arthritis.

Product Benefits

How will this product benefit your horse? Check what the provider says about the benefits of their product—do they use scientific research and case studies to support their marketing messages?

Manufacturing & Sustainability

When evaluating an equine joint supplement, it’s important to choose a product that’s sustainable and follows Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). When a product meets the GMP guidelines, it means it uses the highest quality ingredients and does independent batch testing to verify that each dose of supplement contains everything it needs to. TRI-ACTA follows GMP best practices, so you know that your horse is getting the best ingredients and that each dose has the promised therapeutic value. 

Manufacturer Registration & Licensing

Equine supplements without valid manufacturing registration or licensing can be hazardous to your horse’s health. In Canada, the benchmark for quality assurance is the Veterinary Health Product (VHP) designation issued by Health Canada. Products that carry an LRVHP number, including TRI-ACTA and TRI-ACTA H.A., have cleared strict standards for safety, efficacy, and quality, meaning you can trust that the product delivers exactly what the label promises. In the U.S., the FDA oversees equine supplements under its animal food and supplement framework, though no direct equivalent to the VHP category exists. Rather than a formal certification process, U.S. oversight centers on whether a product is being marketed appropriately as a supplement, rather than making drug-like claims it isn't authorized to support.

Side Effects

Some supplements have so many ingredients that you put your horse at risk of an allergic reaction or negative side effects. For instance, if your horse is allergic or sensitive to barley and the supplement uses that as a filler, it’s obviously not going to be a good option for your equine. To eliminate the chances of a random filler or binder causing a negative side effect, look for supplements like TRI-ACTA that have 100% active ingredients.

Customer Service/ Post-Sale Support

You should expect to be able to contact a company selling horse supplements and receive assistance with inquiries about ingredients, manufacturing, questions on how to use the product properly, or returns. A company that doesn’t provide effective customer service is a big red flag—if they’re skimping on customer support, what else are they taking shortcuts on?

An Important Note on Equine Supplements from Equine Canada

Equestrian Canada is the equine sports governing body for Canadians that are interested in competing in events with their sport and performance horses. As a result, this organization sets rules and regulations that athletes must follow to ensure that their horses remain happy and healthy during events.

A complete list of permitted medications is provided so that participants know what they can and cannot give their horse prior to competing in an event. 

In terms of joint supplements, hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine, pentosan, and polysulfated glycosaminoglycans are all permitted. However, they must not be given by intra-articular injections during the competition.

TRI-ACTA is an example of an equine joint supplement that’s approved for competitive use.

Best Equine Joint Supplements for Sports Equine

1. Integricare – TRI-ACTA H.A. Maximum Strength 

The biggest difference between TRI-ACTA H.A. and our regular TRI-ACTA product is the inclusion of hyaluronic acid. This additional ingredient gives your horse better mobility support by thickening the synovial fluid in their joints, allowing the joint structures to move more freely. hyaluronic acid for horses is especially important for sport equine, horses in eventing, senior horses, or horses suffering from joint conditions.

Aside from hyaluronic acid, both TRI-ACTA H.A. and TRI-ACTA contain two types of glucosamine: HCl and Sulfate. 

• Glucosamine Hydrochloride (HCL) is naturally stable and highly bioavailable, allowing it to be absorbed efficiently and deliver a concentrated dose of glucosamine directly to where it's needed most.

• Glucosamine Sulfate not only supports cartilage repair but also supplies the essential sulfur your horse's body needs for healthy joint tissue and collagen production.

Including both of these types of glucosamine ensures your horse receives the maximum benefit that glucosamine, as an ingredient, can offer.

Pricing starts at $129.99 CDN for a 1 kg container. Pricing as of April, 2026.

TRI-ACTA H.A. for Equine

Our maximum strength formula is perfect for horses that are ageing, experiencing arthritis and stiffness, are in training and competition, or under a heavy workload.

Learn More

2. Pureform – Glucosamine Plus

Pureform, another manufacturer and distributor of equine joint supplements Canada, offers Glucosamine Plus. 

This product has significant amounts of Glucosamine HCl and MSM. Both are very important for equine joint health, and this product boasts many positive reviews from horse owners who have seen tremendous results.

However, it’s important to note that this product does not contain chondroitin.

Studies have shown that glucosamine is much more effective when used in combination with chondroitin sulfate. Therefore, it’s possible that this product does not provide the same results as equine joint supplements containing both glucosamine and chondroitin.

Pureform also contains Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and molasses for flavour. Vitamin E can aid in coat and skin health and appearance. It is worth noting that vitamins can prevent the absorption of other fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, and K. Be mindful of this when choosing an equine joint supplement. 

Pricing starts at $114.99 CDN for a 3.3 lb container. Pricing as of April 2026.

3. Absorbine – Flex + Max Joint Health Supplement

Absorbine’s Flex + Max comes in pellet form and has all of the best equine joint supplements’ building blocks: glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, and hyaluronic acid, along with boswellia serrata and rice bran.

Boswellia serrata has been known to help decrease inflammation since medieval times. Rice bran is another story— it can be made up of about 20% starch! 

Starch is not helpful for horses in general. Starchy things like corn and rice meal can (but not always) lead to overheating and weight gain. Sometimes weight gain is acceptable for leisure horses or hardkeepers, but it’s not ideal for sport equine with strict regimens. 

Pricing starts at $61.59 USD for a 5 lb (~2.27 kg) bag. Pricing as of April 2026.

4. Equithrive – Complete Joint Pellets

Equithrive Complete Joint pellets  include the active ingredients we love for joint supplements, including glucosamine HCl, chondroitin sulfate, MSM, and hyaluronic acid.

The supplement also contains an anti-inflammatory antioxidant called Resverasyn, which has shown some promise in horses. 

Equithrive also includes several inactive ingredients like vegetable oil, flaxseed oil, flaxseed meal, water, yeast culture, and natural flavours.

Pricing starts at $55.16 USD for “SmartPaks”, a 28-day supply according to the source link. Pricing as of April 2026.

5. San Juan Ranch – Ultra Cruz Equine Wellness Performance Supplement

San Juan Ranch’s Ultra Cruz has the best intentions with this vitamin-packed equine joint supplement. With massive amounts of vitamin D3 and Vitamin A at 22,255 IU. Considering the daily dose for a 500kg (1,100lb) horse at rest is 15,000 and 22,500 for a working horse, this supplement seems to be teetering on the edge of over-supplementing. 

Over-supplementing Vitamin A can cause accumulation in the liver. 

Though increasing vitamin A is sometimes necessary for cold months when there is no green grass to be had when your horse is grazing naturally, they could be at risk of over-supplementing Vitamin A.

Ultra Cruz has a long list of inactive ingredients like molasses, pea protein, montmorillonite clay, apple powder, rice bran, and Vitamin A palmitate. 

Pricing starts at 106.95 USD for a 10 lb (~4.54 kg) bag according to the source link. Pricing as of April, 2026.

Best Equine Joint Supplements for Domestic Horses

1. Integricare – TRI-ACTA Regular Strength

Like TRI-ACTA H.A., our regular strength TRI-ACTA product is great for general and preventative joint health for horses of all ages and who participate in all disciplines. It contains 100% active ingredients, two types of glucosamine (HCl and Sulfate) for the maximum benefit to joint health for your horse, as well as MSM for anti-inflammatory support. 

With 100% active ingredients, daily dosage amounts are small and manageable. The product is also tasteless, so your horse won’t even notice it if it’s mixed into their regular feed.

Pricing starts at $89.99 CDN for a 1 kg container. Pricing as of April, 2026.

TRI-ACTA for Equine

Providing preventative support for younger horses and helping mitigate the early onset of joint degeneration and other mobility issues.

Learn More

2. Ramard – Total Joint Care Performance

Ramard is an American manufacturer and distributor of health performance products for horses and pets alike. Ramard’s Total Joint Care is a close contender, with all of the “good stuff” we like to see in an equine joint supplement: glucosamine, MSM, chondroitin, hyaluronic acid, and ascorbic acid. 

Though Ramard’s product does contain all of the right things for a worthwhile equine joint supplement, it has only 6000mg of the beneficial ingredient: Glucosamine.

But it does boast the benefits of an all-natural equine joint supplement with no fillers or additives.

Pricing starts at $113 CDN for 1 1.12 lb (~0.5 kg) container. Pricing as of April 2026.

3. Mojo Joint – Horse Supplements

Mojo Joint specializes in dog and equine joint supplements. Mojo Joint’s equine supplements have many of the building blocks for cartilage health along with their cool name. The only thing they are missing is the key ingredient, Chondroitin. 

Without it, horse owners can’t guarantee that their equine joint supplement delivers optimal support and protection. 

This product also contains a variety of other ingredients, including fillers and binders.

Pricing starts at $69.99 for a 4.5 lb (~2 kg) bag. Pricing as of April, 2026.

4. Essential K® GC Plus, Pelleted, Low NSC Ration Balancer with Joint Support

Tribute Equine Nutrition's Essential K® GC Plus is a low-sugar, low-starch ration balancer designed for easy keepers, overweight horses, or as a nutritional top-dress alongside other feeds. It includes glucosamine HCl, chondroitin sulfate, and MSM to support joint health and range of motion, making it a convenient two-in-one option for owners who want to simplify their feeding routine.

That said, it's worth noting that the joint support built into a ration balancer comes with a tradeoff: dosing is tied to the horse's caloric needs, not therapeutic joint health targets. At 2,500 mg of glucosamine and 875 mg of chondroitin per pound, horses with active joint concerns may not consistently reach the levels needed to see meaningful results.

Pricing starts at $34.99 USD per bag. Pricing as of April 2026.

5. EQUI-EEZ – Purina Equine Canada

Purina Equine Canada Equi-EEZ is affordable and full of numerous vitamins and minerals, but are they all valuable and will they all be utilized by your horse? 

We’d like to keep things simple, but that isn’t always possible with all the care and attention horses need, particularly to their diet. Vitamins are great, but is there such a thing as too much? 

There is also the issue of waste. Horses’ digestive systems don’t always get a chance to absorb the vitamins they ingest because they don’t hold onto them long enough. Horses have tiny stomachs compared to their massive bodies. 

A horse’s stomach comprises less than 7% of the digestive system. This is why they must eat so often and need a carefully constructed diet with vitamins and minerals that complement each other.  

For example, Biotin is found in most hoof supplements as it can significantly improve hoof quality. However, for biotin to be used efficiently for hoof repair, it must be accompanied by a sulphur-bearing amino acid called methionine. Without methionine, the biotin becomes ineffective and will just pass through the horse without absorption.

Pricing starts at $67.00 CDN for a 12 kg container. Pricing as of April 2026.

Dosage Cost of Equine Supplement Canada

Now that you’ve been given a rundown of the different types of supplements available, you’re likely asking yourself, “what will it cost me to include equine supplements into my horse’s diet each day?”

Don’t worry, we’re not going to leave you to do that math yourself. We’ve created a table to provide you with some extra guidance when budgeting your equine joint supplement of choice.

Equine Joint Supplement Daily Dosage for Sports Horses

Equine Joint Supplement Daily Dosage for Domestic Horses

Note: Pricing in these tables are based on the source links provided for each product in the sections above, and is based on the smallest/default container/bag price. Pricing can vary depending on the retailer, as well as the amount of product you purchase at one time. These are meant to be general estimates only. Pricing as of April, 2026.

Basic Equine Nutrition 

Did you know that the foundations of equine nutrition state that a horse should eat 2 to 2.5%of their body weight in long stem forage per day in order to maintain a healthy functioning gut? To get a rough idea, that means a 2,000-pound horse needs to eat about 20 pounds of forage a day. 

What’s even more surprising is that horses receive most of their total equine horse feed nutrients from grazing in the pasture. Forage is a  primary source of the sugars and starches a horse requires for energy. 

Equine Horse Feed

While your horse may get most of their nutrients from hay and grass, some horse owners supplement their horse’s forage with an adequate amount of vitamins and minerals. 

Modern equine Canada horse feeds include ingredients from each of the following categories:

• Complex carbs: Alfalfa, beet pulp, and grain hay

• Simple starches: Barley, oats, and corn

• Digestive aids: Yeast cultures

• Fats: Fish oils, vegetables, and corn

• Vitamins and minerals: Sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and chloride

• Proteins: Canola meals, linseed, and dried whey

Equine owners must consider not only what they feed their horses but also the timing, location, and meal size, in order to digest their food properly and efficiently. Grazing in fresh pasture isn’t always possible; therefore, equine owners must do their best to mimic natural feeding conditions, such as prioritizing forage and dividing feed into smaller meals throughout the day.

Equine Joint Supplements in Horse Feed

Not all horse feeds are created equal, and when it comes to joint health, what's on the ingredient label matters just as much as what's in the bag.

Key Ingredients to Look For

The most well-researched combination for equine joint support is glucosamine and chondroitin. Together, they support cartilage structure and joint fluid quality. Recommended dosage amounts of glucosamine vary widely, because the proper dosage depends on many factors like the composition of the joint supplement itself, your horse’s weight, activity level, age, any existing conditions, and more. The therapeutic range is generally from 1,200 mg to 10,000 mg per day. 

MSM is another important ingredient; this sulfur-based compound supports connective tissue and offers mild anti-inflammatory benefits. hyaluronic acid, a major component of synovial fluid, is increasingly included in oral formulas, though injectable HA remains more clinically established. 

Rounding out a well-formulated joint supplement are omega-3 fatty acids (from flaxseed or fish/algae sources) for natural inflammation support, collagen peptides for cartilage matrix health, Boswellia as an herbal anti-inflammatory, and vitamin E and selenium as antioxidants that reduce oxidative stress in joints and muscles—though selenium must be dosed carefully to avoid toxicity.

Dosage Matters

Many commercial feeds include joint-supporting ingredients, but often at sub-therapeutic levels just enough to appear on the label without delivering meaningful results. Always check the actual milligrams per serving and compare them against research-backed dosing thresholds before assuming a feed covers your horse's joint health needs.

Feed-Integrated vs. Standalone Supplement

Feed-integrated joint support is convenient, but it rarely provides clinical doses. A dedicated joint supplement used alongside a base feed gives you far better control over dosing, and allows you to adjust the joint supplement independently as your horse's needs change over time.

Bioavailability

Not all forms of an ingredient deliver equal results. Glucosamine HCl, for example, has higher bioavailability than some other forms. When evaluating products, look for those that specify the exact form of each ingredient. Transparency of ingredients is a good sign of a quality formulation.

Your Horse's Life Stage and Use

A young performance horse in heavy work has very different joint support needs than a retired senior. Preventative supplementation earlier in life may help slow cartilage wear over time, while a horse already showing stiffness or diagnosed with arthritis will likely require higher therapeutic doses to see meaningful improvement.

Underlying Conditions

Joint issues in older horses can stem from arthritis, osteochondrosis (OCD), navicular disease, or general wear, and each condition may respond differently to supplementation. A proper veterinary diagnosis is the best starting point for targeting the right approach.

Oral vs. Injectable Treatments

For horses with significant joint disease, oral supplements alone may not be sufficient. Intra-articular injections of corticosteroids or HA, or systemic treatments like Adequan (polysulfated glycosaminoglycan), offer far greater bioavailability and may be necessary alongside dietary support for more advanced cases.

Contents of the NRC Nutrient Requirements of Horses

The principles for basic equine nutrition Canada follow the guidelines of the USA NRC Nutrient Requirements of Horses.  The USA’s National Academy of Sciences has a group of scientists involved in the National Research Council (NRC) who study the nutrient requirements for horses and prepare guidelines. 

According to the NRC and Equine Canada rules, horses require six essential nutrients:

1. Vitamins 

2. Minerals

3. Protein

4. Fats

5. Water 

6. Carbohydrates 

Vitamins 

Horses need supplementation from vitamins their body cannot make. Essential vitamins like vitamin E are abundant in fresh green pasture but not in hay. If your horse does not intake enough green grass he may need additional supplementation.

Minerals

Your horse needs a combination of macrominerals and microminerals. Macrominerals, minerals the horse needs to consume in large amounts, include calcium, sodium, and potassium. Minerals required in trace amounts and microminerals, include manganese, selenium, copper, iron, and zinc. 

Protein

While proteins and amino acids aren't a primary energy source, they're essential for building and maintaining body tissues. Mature horses generally need a diet containing 8–12% crude protein, while young foals require 14–18% crude protein to support healthy development, a figure that gradually decreases as the horse approaches two years of age. Performance horses in active training also have elevated protein needs to fuel muscle repair and recovery.

Fats

Horses can tolerate high levels of fat within their diets. Fats and fatty acids are excellent sources of energy, as they increase energy density without drastically increasing the ration size. Natural sources of fats include grains, flaxseed, and oils. 

Water 

Horses require clean water to stay hydrated. Dehydration can cause health issues faster than lacking in any other nutrients. Ensuring proper water quality and providing a heated water source during the winter is important.

Carbohydrates 

Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy in a horse’s diet. A horse needs nonstructural carbohydrates that include starches and sugars, found in grain, and fibrous structural carbohydrates, found in forage. 

Depending on whether you have a young or old horse, and whether you have a leisure horse vs a performance or dressage horse, your feeding analysis will be customized to suit their specific needs.  Donkeys and other equids will have a different ratio formulation and evaluation to horses and sport equine. Many Canadian equine professionals use a computer model to estimate requirements for equine animals.

Feeding Behavior and General Considerations for Feeding Management

It’s important to understand unique aspects of equine nutrition and options for feed, and methods of feed processing so that you can determine what is right for your horse. 

Some methods are more equitable for equine senior horse feed, whereas others are formulated for equine Canada dressage horses. 

The table below compares the differences in types of horse feed.

Unique Aspects of Equine Nutrition

Understanding how horses eat (not just what they eat) is essential to building a sound feeding program. Horses are non-ruminant herbivores with a relatively small stomach designed for continuous, slow grazing. Unlike cattle, they rely heavily on the hindgut (cecum and large colon) to ferment and extract nutrients from fibrous feeds. This means abrupt diet changes, large infrequent meals, or low-forage diets can quickly disrupt digestive balance and increase the risk of colic, gastric ulcers, and hindgut acidosis.

Horses also have a strong drive to chew. They produce saliva only while chewing, and saliva acts as a natural buffer for stomach acid. A horse with insufficient forage or chewing time is at greater risk of ulcers and behavioral issues. Feeding management should always account for these physiological realities, prioritizing forage, meal frequency, and consistency of diet.

Donkeys and Other Equids

It's worth noting that donkeys, mules, and other equids have distinct nutritional profiles and should not be fed on the same formulations as horses. Donkeys, in particular, evolved in arid environments and are highly efficient at extracting energy from sparse, low-quality forage. This means standard horse feeds can lead to obesity, hyperlipemia, and laminitis in donkeys when fed without careful consideration.

Donkeys generally require a diet higher in fibrous roughage and lower in calories, protein, and non-structural carbohydrates than horses. If you own a donkey or mule, consult an equine nutritionist familiar with these species to develop an appropriate feeding plan rather than defaulting to horse feed guidelines.

Ration Formulation and Evaluation

Because every horse is different, there is no one-size-fits-all feeding program. A horse's ideal ration depends on a combination of factors including age, breed, body weight, body condition score, workload, reproductive status, and any underlying health conditions. Many Canadian equine professionals use computer modeling software to estimate precise nutrient requirements and build balanced rations based on forage analysis.

The starting point for any ration evaluation should be a hay or forage analysis. Without knowing the nutritional baseline your forage provides, it's impossible to know what gaps need to be filled with concentrate feed or supplementation. From there, feeds and supplements can be selected to bring the total diet into alignment with NRC guidelines, ensuring the horse receives adequate energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals without over-supplementing in any one area.

Senior Horse Feed

As horses age, their nutritional needs shift in ways that standard adult maintenance feeds aren't always equipped to address. Choosing the right feed for a senior horse means looking beyond the basics and considering a range of age-related changes.

Dental Health

One of the most common and overlooked challenges in senior horses is declining dental function. Older horses often lose the ability to chew long-stem hay and roughage effectively, which limits their ability to extract nutrients from forage. Look for feeds that are highly digestible or can be soaked into a mash. Complete senior feeds and beet pulp are both well-suited to horses with poor dentition.

Digestive Efficiency

Seniors experience reduced gut motility and declining hindgut function, which means they absorb nutrients less efficiently than younger horses. Feeds formulated with highly fermentable fibers, along with added prebiotics and probiotics, help support hindgut health and improve overall digestive function.

Protein Quality

Aging horses need quality protein to maintain muscle mass. Rather than simply looking at the crude protein percentage, check that key amino acids such as lysine, methionine, and threonine are listed on the label. These are the building blocks most critical for muscle preservation in older horses.

Fat Content

A higher fat content (6–10%) provides a calorie-dense, easily digestible energy source that helps maintain body condition without overloading the digestive system with starch. This is particularly important for senior horses that struggle to hold weight.

Starch and Sugar (NSC) Levels

Many senior horses develop insulin resistance or Cushing's disease (PPID), making NSC management a priority. If this applies to your horse, look for feeds with a combined starch and sugar content ideally under 12–15%.

Joint and Immune Support

Some senior feeds include added omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, and glucosamine/chondroitin to support joint health and immune function. These additions can be beneficial, though targeted supplementation with a dedicated joint supplement, like TRI-ACTA or TRI-ACTA H.A., allows for more precise, therapeutic dosing than what most senior feeds can provide.

Forage First

If your horse can still chew effectively, quality forage should remain the foundation of the diet. Senior feed should complement forage, not replace it, unless dental issues make forage consumption impossible. In those cases, soaked hay cubes, chopped forage, or a complete feed that provides adequate fiber are appropriate alternatives.

Body Condition Score

Before selecting a senior feed, assess whether you are trying to maintain, gain, or reduce your horse's weight. A hard keeper needs a calorie-dense formula, while an easy keeper may do well on a ration balancer that supplies vitamins and minerals without excess calories.

PPID and Cushing's Considerations

Senior horses have a notably high rate of PPID (Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction, commonly known as Cushing's disease). If your horse is diagnosed (or showing signs such as a long curly coat, muscle wasting along the topline, or excessive drinking and urination) diet management becomes especially critical. Work closely with your veterinarian to select an appropriate low-NSC feed and determine whether additional medical management is needed.

Water Intake

Seniors are prone to dehydration and impaction colic, often because they drink less water than they should. Feeding a soaked mash or adding water directly to feed encourages water intake and helps reduce the risk of digestive complications.

Feeding a Hardkeeper (Skinny) Horse

A hard keeper or skinny horse is a horse that struggles to maintain body condition despite receiving what appears to be adequate nutrition. Their margin for calorie balance is extremely narrow, meaning even small shifts in workload, weather, or routine can quickly result in visible weight loss.

When it comes to restoring condition in a skinny or hard-keeper horse, the instinct to add more grain can actually backfire. High-starch diets can disrupt gut microbes, increase ulcer risk, and cause metabolic swings, none of which support healthy weight gain. Instead, the goal is to increase calories strategically using gut-safe energy sources.

Calorie-dense options that won't overload the digestive system include:

• Vegetable oils (introduced gradually)

• Stabilized rice bran

• High-fat commercial feeds

• Highly digestible fiber sources such as beet pulp

Fat provides concentrated calories without the insulin spikes associated with heavy grain feeding, while highly digestible fiber supports hindgut health and increases total energy intake simultaneously.

One important caution: for a very skinny horse, even well-intentioned feeding can cause serious harm if done too aggressively. Refeeding syndrome is a potentially life-threatening metabolic condition that occurs when a severely malnourished horse is given large amounts of concentrated calories too quickly. After a prolonged calorie deficit, electrolytes like phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium become depleted. If high-carbohydrate feeds are then introduced suddenly, insulin levels spike, electrolytes shift rapidly into cells, and blood levels can drop to dangerous lows — potentially causing cardiac and neurological complications including weakness, muscle tremors, abnormal heart rhythm, and in severe cases, organ failure.

For this reason, a very skinny horse should always be refed slowly, starting with small frequent meals of easily digestible fiber before any calorie-dense feeds are introduced. If the body condition has dropped to a score of 1–2 out of 9 (see chart above) or if the horse is weak, severely dehydrated, or showing signs of organ dysfunction, veterinary supervision is essential before any feeding changes are made.

Next Steps - Find the Right Equine Supplement For Your Horse

Integricare has been a trusted supplier of quality equine joint supplements in Canada for over 20 years. Whether you have a leisure horse or a sport equine, you want to give your horse the best possible mixture of feed, foraging, and equine joint supplements. 

Wouldn’t it be nice to have the most straightforward, quality, and cost-effective equine joint supplement with all of those things to consider and purchase? 

Integricare’s TRI-ACTA simplifies your job as an equine caretaker with an efficient equine joint supplement made from only active ingredients.

TRI-ACTA for Equine

Providing preventative support for younger horses and helping mitigate the early onset of joint degeneration and other mobility issues.

Learn More

There is no wondering where you need to add or restrict because, unlike so many things, this equine joint supplement is what it says. There are no fillers or extra unnecessary ingredients to take up space where something beneficial could be.

At Integricare, we believe equine joint supplements shouldn't be 25 or 50% active and beneficial ingredients. We strive for 100% in more ways than one. Keep it simple, and let us help.

For more supportive advice about the best equine supplements, please contact us. We’d love to answer any and all questions pertaining to your unique needs.