THE ANALOGY
Think top-notch arena footing.
Not too deep, not too hard, just the right mix to absorb shock and keep your horse's stride smooth. Good footing isn't something you notice when it's right — but you feel it instantly when it's wrong.
Proteoglycans do the same job inside your horse. They're the layer between hard surfaces (bone, cartilage, tendon fibers) that keeps everything cushioned, hydrated, and ready to take the next stride.
“When the footing's right, the horse moves well and stays sound. When it packs down or breaks up, you feel it in every step.”
The proteoglycan family — decorin, biglycan, lumican, aggrecan, heparan sulfate — works together to keep the matrix organized and water-rich. Lose them, and tissues lose their cushion.
HOW THEY WORK IN THE HORSE
What proteoglycans actually do day-to-day
Hold water in tissue
Proteoglycans bind water molecules into the matrix, keeping cartilage and tendons hydrated and resilient under load.
Organize the structure
They help align collagen fibers and other matrix proteins into the patterns that give tissues their strength and elasticity.
Support recovery
When tissue is damaged, the proteoglycan environment is part of what tells repair cells how to rebuild — and rebuild correctly.
Naturally part of the matrix your horse's tissues are built from.
equicenta® CTM contains proteoglycans naturally found in normal equine connective tissues, including joints and tendons — delivered as part of a complete matrix, not in isolation.
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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