# Tumeric to help joints



## SmartieBean09 (29 March 2010)

Hi,

I have seen a few posts on here about feeding tumeric to help with stiff joints in horses.

Has anyone done this?  Does it work?  How much do you feed?

Very curious as to whether this works so be good to hear from you


----------



## Achinghips (29 March 2010)

Interesting: copied and pasted from elsewhere for you:

An extract from the herb tumeric has shown promise as an anti-inflammatory agent, a study has revealed.
The British researchers explored curcumin (diferuloylmethane), which comes from the spice turmeric. Tumeric is produced from the plant Curcuma longa.

Researchers from the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science at the University of Nottingham in, Leicestershire, noted that curcumin had shown anti-inflammatory properties in many cell types. 

In their experiment, normal articular cartilage was harvested from eight horses, euthanized for reasons other than research purposes.

They then stimulated an inflammatory response in the samples and treated some of the samples with the curcumin. Assessment five days later showed a significant anti-inflammatory response in the curcumin-treated samples.

The authors said more research was needed around the effectiveness and potential safety issues surrounding the use of curcumin.

The method used may also have promise in assessing anti-inflammatory properties of other agents.


----------



## SmartieBean09 (30 March 2010)

Thank you Rotchana.  I wasnt dreaming it then...it is true!

Wonder if anyone uses this and what results they have had?


----------



## domane (1 April 2010)

I have a 14yo ex P2P TB who fractured his pelvis sometime during his racing career.  He has learned to compensate and enjoys hacking out but he was slightly unlevel when he trotted.  I have had various people assess him and they are all of the opinion that he's not in pain, he's just been left with a limp.  

Having heard good things about it, I started him on turmeric in December and within a week his trot became "sound".  I buy a 400g bag from Tesco for £1.31 and I store it in an old Oxy Vanish tub and he has half of the little pink scoop which comes in the tub.  It's not very scientific but I did start him on a full scoop and he seemed to go a bit gaga so i reduced the "dose" and what I feed him now keeps him ticking over.  So a bag will last a good three weeks or so.   

He has a fibre-based diet so gets a large sloppy feed at tea-time which the turmeric gets mixed into.  I'm sure he can smell it but it hasn't affected his appetite at all!


----------



## SmartieBean09 (1 April 2010)

Excellent thank you Domane.

I managed to get a 400g bad from Asda for 98p.  Bargain!  

I give her about the same as you too.  She hasnt seemed to notice in her feed which is good but my buckets are starting to go yellow


----------



## Toffee44 (1 April 2010)

Cant imagine a fussy eater liking this, its like a horsey curry surely 

Has anyone asked vets about using this?


----------



## SmartieBean09 (2 April 2010)

http://www.nouvelleveterinary.com/Curcumin Equine Research Trial.pdf

After reading a few posts from others that were advised to feed this, I assumed it would be ok.  I will however call my vet to confirm this.


----------



## SmartieBean09 (2 April 2010)

http://www.equi-animalherbs.com/Pain.htm

Extract from attached...

Devils Claw root, also known as Natures Bute, is another well known and effective aid in the relief of pain from arthritis, bruises and strains. It is an excellent anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic, especially when combined in proper amounts with Myrrh and Yucca. Devils Claw Root is used to effectively bother internally and topically.
Older horses respond well when Tumeric is added to the daily diet. Anything that works to aid in building and maintaining a healthy immune system will also work to lessen the pain of arthritis and help in the healing of injuries. Some of these herbs are Schizandra berries, Astragalus, Sioberian Ginseng and Eucommia dark. White Willow bark is excellent for pain, Rue for tendon problems, Comfrey, in safe and compatible amounts in short term use, is very good for broken and bruised bones.


----------



## edwardunderwood (17 February 2014)

Could anyone tell how much turmeric I need to put in my horses feed he is 18 years old and suffers with  stiffness in his legs and he is fed twice a day so do I give it once or twice a day  many thanks


----------



## paulineh (17 February 2014)

I would start with a teaspoon full of Turmeric 6-8 twists of freshly ground Black Pepper and either Coconut ,Linseed  or Olive oil twice a day build the Turmeric up slowly over a week or two until you see a difference. This may take a week or a month or two. The amount of Turmeric can range from two to three tea spoonful to half a cup full twice a day. It is only the Turmeric that needs to be increased.

If you already feed micronized Linseed you do not need to feed the oil. Take it slowly as some horses have to get use to eating it. All mine eat it in their feeds without a problem.


----------



## edwardunderwood (19 February 2014)

Thanks for that paulineh how will I now as to when to increase the amount and how much I don't give him black pepper but he does have a clove of garlic each day  I have mixed the turmeric in his feed I have not added any oil as he is on a diat  if I do have to ad oil how much would I use and would he gain weight he is now recovering from a small bout of laminitis  thanks for all your help


----------



## 9tails (19 February 2014)

Toffee44 said:



			Cant imagine a fussy eater liking this, its like a horsey curry surely 

Has anyone asked vets about using this?
		
Click to expand...

It's not the curry element of curries, but rather the base ingredient for the colour.  It doesn't smell of curry, it's an earthy smell and needs to be introduced slowly.  Though I suspect it was more the ground pepper that made my horse turn her nose up.


----------



## Claire-R (5 September 2014)

What does the Cracked black pepper do?  Mines just been put on to tumeric power a bit of apple juice will sort out the fussy eaters


----------



## 9tails (5 September 2014)

It allows the curcumin in the turmeric to be absorbed.


----------



## Claire-R (5 September 2014)

Ahhh!   you learn something new everyday!! I shall pop to le super market to get some


----------



## Leo Walker (5 September 2014)

Make sure your turmeric contains curcumin, some of the supermarket ones dont, and thats the active ingredient


----------



## JillA (5 September 2014)

The pepper must be freshly ground to release the volatile oils - without that and some oil (or micronized linseed) the turmeric passes right through the system without being absorbed. I have a big horse with 1/10 lameness in front (suspected ringbone) who is now sound but it has taken a couple of months. And my 35 year old arab mare who has general stiffness but particularly SI joint is now just on half a sachet of Danilon/day and acting like a mare half her age - she looks so much more alert. Took a couple of months again, so don't expect results immediately, and also I have found a week or so in they go a bit hyper. I started with a tiny amount and built up and they actually like the taste now.
He has 2 x 25ml turmeric + 20 twists of pepper once a day, she has the same twice a day.


----------



## joulsey (5 September 2014)

I'm really starting to think it would be worth putting my 24y/o share horse on this this winter! I shall have words with the owner, it does seem to work wonders on a lot of horses. There's also a FB group which is very interesting.


----------



## siennamiller (5 September 2014)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/415313751866609/?ref=ts&fref=ts


----------



## ljohnsonsj (10 September 2014)

I tried it for my horses joints and it made absolutely no difference at all! Some people do really rate it though


----------



## OwnedbyJoe (11 September 2014)

I'm a vet and I feed it.
You need the oil and the pepper as well and as others have said check the curcumin content.
We have a 21 year old Connie who has had a new lease of life after starting on it and my endurance horse is now on it as a preventive as he clocks up a lot of miles.


----------



## MagicMelon (13 September 2014)

I feed 2 of mine turmeric by sprinkling (a measured amount) on top of wet feed, then adding the however many grinds of pepper and glugging the oil on top then mixing it up. So I dont measure the oil, I just do as much as I feel is correct from when I did measure it out originally!  Does this matter?  Do you have to have an exact amount of oil?  I make up golden paste for myself, just wondered if it would be better if I did this for them as well (not sure if the cooking is better or worse?).


----------

