60 EQUUS 498 AUTUMN 2019
hours or more if possible.” She adds
that some supplements, including
those containing chondroitin and
glucosamine, are helpful.
Ali Calkins, a United States
Dressage Federation bronze medalist
in Mount Airy, Maryland, is also
especially mindful of the hocks. “In any
equine athlete, hock arthritis is very
common---but especially in dressage,
being that we ask for signifi cant
loading on the hind end,” she says.
The suspensory ligament can become
another concern, she adds, if horses
are pushed to move “too big, too fast.”
For this reason, Calkins takes a
conservative approach when training
young horses, especially the late-
maturing warmbloods who dominate
the sport. “I don’t introduce the saddle
and bridle until they are 3. Then I
add a rider when they are 3 1/2, andlightly start getting them more broke
under saddle when they are coming
closer to 4,” she explains. “I am also
a big advocate of in-hand work in the
horse’s younger years. When they are
young, their bodies are looser and
more elastic, an essential quality to a
dressage horse and also for arthritis
prevention. In-hand work can help
build strength and education without
the stress or weight of a rider.”
When youngsters reach age 4,
Calkins puts them in light work two
to three days a week to help them
become more connected and balanced.
“Teaching horses how to be supple and
equally use both sides of their bodies is
another key to long-term soundness,”
she says. “Every horse has a stiff side,
and it is the rider’s job to help build
muscling as symmetrically as possible
to avoid unnecessary wear and tear on
a single side.”
And forget the fl ashy movement
displayed by some youngsters, Calkins
says. “As appealing as this is to watch,
letting a horse push bigger than
his body is really ready for under
saddle at too young of an age puts
the suspensory and other tendons
and ligaments at risk for injury,” she
explains. “My conservative approach toHyaluronic acid: This molecule gives synovial fl uid its sticky texture and
helps build cartilage. HA injections are also thought to have anti-infl ammatory
effects and stimulate the body to produce natural hyaluronan. These injections
are typically given directly into the joint, although one product (Legend) is
licensed for intravenous use as well.
PSGAGs (polysulfated glycosaminoglycans): These complex sugars are
naturally found in articular cartilage. They are injected to stimulate production
of hyaluronic acid as well as to inhibit the degeneration of cartilage. The most
common PSGAG (Adequan) is licensed for intramuscular injections as well as
injections directly into the joint.
Corticosteroid injections: With powerful anti-infl ammatory action, any
corticosteroid injected into a joint will immediately halt the destructive processes
while relieving the horse’s pain. Veterinarians tend to be very judicious with their
use because of concerns over potential side effects, including laminitis and an
adverse impact on cartilage.INJECTABLES FOR JOINT SUPPORT
AND TREATMENT“I teach my horses to be
forward, not rushed, and
save the ‘big and flashy’
for later, and mostly
for the show ring.”
--- Ali Calkins,
a United States
Dressage Federation
bronze medalistKYLE PEIFFE