Natural eggshell membrane supplementation for chronic lameness in warmblood horses: a 12-week prospective before-after study.
Authors: Kwon Young-Sam, Jeong Hyohoon, Kim Jongkyu, Kim Jina, Chun Kyungmin, Yang Sung Keun, Kim Byungkwon
Journal: Frontiers in veterinary science
Summary
# Natural Eggshell Membrane for Chronic Equine Lameness Osteoarthritis remains a significant cause of performance limitation and retirement in horses, yet evidence-based nutraceutical options remain sparse. Researchers in this 12-week prospective study administered natural eggshell membrane (NEM) at 12 mg/kg daily to ten Warmblood horses with established chronic lameness, measuring changes in ridden function, objective lameness grades, joint kinematics, and palatability. Improvements were most evident in owner-reported ridden function—approximately half a grade better at walk and trot—with complementary gains in examiner composite gait scores and a notable 3-degree increase in right forelimb joint angle; however, lameness at rest showed no meaningful change. Whilst the small sample size and uncontrolled before-after design limit broader interpretation, the consistency of rider-reported benefit across parameters and the robust palatability suggest NEM warrants evaluation in larger randomised controlled trials. For practitioners managing chronic lameness cases, these preliminary findings indicate NEM may offer modest functional improvements worth considering as part of multimodal management, particularly where owner satisfaction with under-saddle performance is a primary concern.
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Practical Takeaways
- •NEM supplementation at 12 mg/kg appears well-tolerated and horses readily accept it, making compliance easier than some joint supplements
- •Riders reported noticeable functional improvements in ridden work within 12 weeks, though objective lameness examination improvements were modest
- •This shows promise for chronic lameness management but should be viewed as a potential complementary approach rather than a primary treatment until larger controlled trials confirm efficacy
Key Findings
- •Rider-reported under-saddle function improved by approximately 0.5 grade at both walk and trot after 12 weeks of NEM supplementation
- •Owner-rated palatability improved markedly (Δ = -1.50) with no reported acceptance issues
- •Right-fore joint angle showed moderate improvement of 3.06° in simple kinematics
- •Examiner-graded lameness at rest showed no change, while walk-trot composite scores showed only small trend toward improvement