Is My Horse In Pain? Signs, Management, and Treatment

Pain in horses can be due to a sudden event such as colic or injury, or from a chronic disease such as arthritis.

No matter the underlying reason for horse pain, it is important to recognize it and know what to do for your horse.

Signs a Horse Is in Pain

Because horses are not able to verbally tell us what is hurting, it’s important that we watch for any changes in our horse’s activity level, behavior, and body language for indications of pain.

Signs/behaviors that may indicate your horse is in pain include:

• Lameness or abnormal gait

• Standing in an unusual posture

• Shifting weight from leg to leg

• Muscle tremors

• Abnormal sweating

• Lying down more than normal

• Mood or temperament changes

• Decreased appetite

• Abnormal reaction to grooming, saddle, or bit/bridle

• Changes in eating behavior (i.e., eating on one side of the mouth, dropping feed)

• Grinding teeth

• Excessive drooling

• Weight loss

• Squinting or closed eye(s)

• Biting or staring at a particular body region

• Any evidence of swelling or injury

• Pawing

• Kicking at stomach

• Rolling

• Grunting

• Lethargy/depression

If you notice any of these signs in your horse, call your veterinarian right away.  

Causes of Pain in Horses

Many common conditions can be associated with specific areas of pain in horses.

Musculoskeletal Pain

• Arthritis

• Hoof abscess

• Lameness

• Cellulitis

• Degenerative Suspensory Ligament Desmitis (DSLD)

• White Line Disease (WLD) (in severe cases)

• Navicular disease

• Thrush (in severe cases)

• Trauma/wounds

• Muscle strain

• Snake bites

• Laminitis/founder

• Osteochondrosis Dissecans (OCD)

• Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM)

• Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy (PSSM)

Abdominal Pain

• Gastric ulcers

• Colic

• Diarrhea

Eye Pain

• Uveitis

• Corneal ulcer

• Conjunctivitis

Other Pain

• Down horse

• Choke

• Fractured teeth or dental disease

Pain Relief for Horses

Horse Pain Medication H3

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) are commonly used to treat pain in horses by helping to reduce inflammation. NSAIDs for horses include:

• Flunixin meglumine (Banamine) is often prescribed to treat abdominal pain, especially pain from colic.

• Phenylbutazone (Bute) is often used to treat musculoskeletal pain such as conditions associated with lameness.

• Firocoxib (Equioxx) is a newer type of pain medication and is often used for chronic or long-term pain management since it has a lower risk of side effects.

Local and regional treatment therapies can also be used to help treat musculoskeletal pain in horses. They include:

• Surpass is an NSAID that can be applied topically to areas of pain and inflammation.

• Legend is an intravenous injection made up of hyaluronic acid to help with preventing and treating inflammation in the joint.

• Adequan is an intramuscular injection made of polysulfated glycosaminoglycan that can help heal and aid in the long-term health of a joint.

• Joint injections are one of the most performed procedures in sport horse medicine. Joint injections typically consist of a combination of hyaluronic acid, corticosteroid, and possibly an antibiotic to help prevent infection. These injections can help with joint pain and inflammation associated with arthritis and can help a horse stay comfortable for months.

Horse Pain Supplements

Supplements for horses can be a great preventative measure to help reduce the chances of any pain-associated conditions. When adding a supplement to your horse’s daily schedule, you are helping to maintain a horse's long-term health.

If you feel a supplement would be good to add to your horse’s daily diet, ask your primary veterinarian for their recommendations.

There are a large variety of supplements that may be beneficial, including:

• Joint supplements, which can help to maintain healthy joints and help to prevent arthritis

• Hoof supplements, which help to promote a healthy hoof and help prevent foot abscesses and other food conditions that may be painful

• Digestive supplements, which help to maintain a healthy overall gut and reduce episodes of colic, diarrhea, and other digestive diseases that may lead to pain

• Gastric supplements, which help to promote a healthy stomach and prevent gastric ulcer formation

Preventing Pain in Horses

The key to preventing many of the causes of pain in horses is through preventive care.

Preventive care includes:

• Yearly veterinary exam

• Yearly vaccinations

• Yearly to twice-yearly dental exams

• Maintaining a deworming schedule

• Checking your horse's body condition score often

• Discussing your horse's diet, exercise, and lifestyle with your veterinarian

Understanding your horse's normal behaviors can help you easily pick up on something when they are acting abnormal.

Work with your veterinarian to help manage chronic pain cases. If you feel that your horse is still in pain even with pain management in place, it may be time to discuss quality of life with your veterinarian.