i have a horse that has some joint problems, and has recently tore the lateral cartilage in his stifle. he’s really sore and depressed right now, and i have been giving him bran mashes about once to twice a week to perk him up and make him feel special. he tends to eat anything that i put in there, so i was wondering if there are any additives that i can put in to help with his pain.
i’m currently using:
half of his usual gran ration and that much bran
molasses and honey drizzled over the top
a tiny bit of peppermint extract
table salt to keep him drinking
powdered electrolytes
sliced carrots and apples
a few horse cookies on top =]

he is currently on MSM and glucosamine supplements, and on pain medication.

So me questions are:
-what kind of ingredients do you use in your mashes that may have different flavors for variety?
-are there any NATURAL ingredients that i can add to help with his pain?

wendy-
if my horse was otherwise healthy, i would be concerned with diabetes. but its only a matter of time now until we have to put him down. he has so many problems that there is no chance for recovery. we’re just concentrating on keeping him as pain-free and happy as possible until i can bear to let him go. he was the only horse that i’ve ever had a great connection with, so i am sure you can understand how hard this is. so please no attacks on me for being selfish. he is on the supplement daily. the vet has said that we should try anything possible to help him, and the reason that i want to go natural with this is so it wont interfere with his other meds. what i was actually looking for was an oil or something that was a natural pain releiver. ex. lavender oil for calming.
please no nasty comments; i cant really handle them right now.

I mean,i don’t want the calcium cancelling out the vitamin,or the vitamin blocking out the MSM/glucosamine/chondroiten tablets,and I don’t know about the thyroid pills cancelling out anything,so that is why I am asking.
I try not to take them all at the same time,so,I don’t know about that.
I take the thyroid in the am.
an hour later, the glucosamin/msm/ and then calcium with a meal.
then an hour after that,the vitamin.

can anyone help me better understand this,as I want my body to absorb all these that it needs.

Thank you !!!!!!
I was diagnosed with " a touch of arthritis" about a year ago,after a severe fall,in which all my weight landed on my left knee. It grinds whenever I climb/descend stairs. As for the thyroid: I was diagnosed with that,too, about 6 years ago. The vitamin: My diet isnt the greatest,and i am told at 41,i should take one. As for the camcium: I take that because I dont think i meet the daily requirements for calcium. It isn’t a question of "Should I be taking them," it is a question of "if I do, how will they interract with each other and will one block the others’s absorbtion?" That is what I am asking.

i been injured on both of my knees, and the doctor said i have to take more minerals, because i do too many sports…now i am taking glucosamine for my joints and it says bot for kids/teens (i’m 16)
the one i take is a combination of glucosamine (1500g)and MSM(750g)
i take 2 tablets daily with food.
should i still take it,
ever since i started using them i haven’t feel any better, and my knees feel the same?
someone?

Here it is. I had a hysterectomy about 5 years ago and was on Premarin. I had been a smoker for 30 years. I no longer take hormones, I quit smoking in December of 2006. I have gained about 50 lbs. I have for about 2 months changed my diet, I eat 5 small meals of between 250 and 300 calories, low carbs, high protien. I do not drink soda, just water and fat free milk. I have been walking about 3 miles 3x a week and walk about a mile the other days with my dogs. I try to do more exercising but after I walk, my ankles hurt so bad that I can barely walk after a rest. I have changed shoes also to see if that helps. What am I doing wrong so that I can lose the weight? I know less weight would help my ankles. I take a good multi vitamin, Chromium Picolinate and glucosamine chondroitin MSM. Can anyone give me some advice??
I have not lost a single pound. I seem to be gaining.