THE ANALOGY
Imagine the perfect saddle pad that never packs down.
A new pad has give. It absorbs shock, distributes pressure, springs back after the ride. After a few hard seasons, it gets flat and stiff — and you feel it on the horse, on yourself, on the saddle fit.
GAGs are trying to do that job inside your horse's joints, every single stride. When they're abundant, joints stay supple. When they break down, joints feel stiff and sore — and movement compensates around the problem.
“A joint isn't really about the bones. It's about everything between them.”
Cartilage that's full of healthy GAGs handles training. Cartilage that's lost them starts to wear, and that wear is hard to undo.
HOW THEY WORK IN THE HORSE
What GAGs do in a working joint
Hydrate the cartilage
GAGs draw water into cartilage and synovial fluid, keeping the joint lubricated and pressurized — the way a tire holds its shape.
Cushion impact
When the hoof hits the ground, GAGs are part of what spreads that force across the joint surface instead of letting it concentrate in one spot.
Support smooth glide
Hyaluronic acid in particular helps joint surfaces slide past each other with minimal friction — the springy, easy feel of a sound horse.
Components of normal joint and cartilage structure.
equicenta® CTM contains naturally occurring GAGs that are components of normal joint and cartilage structure — delivered together with the rest of the native matrix, not as an isolated supplement.
Ask your veterinarian whether equicenta® CTM could be part of your horse's plan.
Every case is different. Your veterinarian is the right person to weigh whether a regenerative approach fits the diagnosis, the rehab plan, and your horse.
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