Benefits and Uses of MSM for Horses

You may have heard that Sulphur is essential for your horse, and in this post, I want to discuss one of the richest sources of Sulphur, MSM. MSM or Methyl Sulphonyl Methane is a naturally occurring compound that contains up to 34% Sulfur. Sulfur is crucial for most animals, and it helps keep them healthy by maintaining the joints, ligaments, tendons, and hooves.

Some horses may get their daily Sulphur requirement from diet alone, but most horses will need a dietary supplement to maintain an adequate supply. When the body requires Sulphur, it gets it by breaking down two amino acids called Methionine and Cysteine. While this supplies Sulphur, over time, the body gets deficient in these two amino acids, resulting in reduced protein synthesis. The best solution to combat this problem is to add an MSM supplement to your horse's diet. This ensures that they get an adequate supply of Sulphur without compromising on protein synthesis.

Now let’s look at some of the benefits of MSM for horses:

• MSM helps in the synthesis of glutathione which is an important antioxidant. Glutathione is crucial for your animal's health as it combats oxidative stress and helps keep cells and tissues working optimally.
•  MSM is excellent for keeping muscles healthy, and it improves recovery time after exercise. MSM is also known to increase blood circulation, which removes lactic acid build-up and speeds up muscle recovery.
• This supplement has an anti-inflammatory effect, and it works to reduce post-exercise inflammation, which helps the horse stay active.
• MSM is essential for the synthesis of Collagen and Glucosamine, two Sulfur-containing proteins with many functions in the body. These proteins are necessary for joint health, and they strengthen the horse’s tendons and ligaments. A lack of these proteins may cause weak joints and hooves, resulting in pain after exercise.
• MSM supports healthy joints and tendons, and it is also helpful to combat diseases like hock arthritis by reducing tissue wear and tear.
• Horses that regularly take an MSM supplement have healthy skin, hooves, and coats as this supplement is needed for Keratin synthesis. Keratin is a vital protein that maintains the structure of hair and nails.
• MSM has been shown to reduce the symptoms of allergies in horses. It promotes a healthy respiratory tract and improves breathing.

There are no recorded side effects of using an MSM supplement for your horse, so you can safely add it to your horse's diet without worrying about their health. If you are doubtful, though, it is always a good idea to consult your veterinarian!

MSM is an excellent supplement for your horse, and you can reap all these benefits by adding the recommended dose of MSM to your horse's diet. Most experts suggest starting with a dose of 20g per day and then reducing it to 10g once your horse's health has improved. This maintenance dose is enough to supply the daily requirement of Sulphur.