Has anyone used and had luck with either thermal boots or magnetic boots for arthritis?
My 7 yo gelding was diagnosed with high ringbone and I am wondering if anyone has had any luck using anything other than Bute for inflammation?
I am all for using pharmaceuticals when necessary but was hoping to find some thing I can use everyday to help with inflammation and pain management.
Magnets have never done anything for my arthritis so I have never tried them on my horse with arthritis in his sacrum. Never tried thermal either:)
however:)
https://equusmagazine.com/lameness/coping-with-ringbone
The Cosequin ASU+ and the red light therapy have done the most of anything I have tried to-date:)
Hope this helps:)
I haven’t found any research that shows that magnets actually work. I have trouble believing there is enough iron in the blood to create much of an effect. But I could be wrong.
I do use the ceramic therapy in the Back on Track products for myself, my horse, my dogs, and my husband 
I have early arthritis and bulging discs in my neck that really enjoy the BoT scarf. For my horse, he wears BoT quickwraps or standing wraps plus hock boots and a hat in cooler weather and it helps immensely with his high miles and arthritis. The ceramic therapy has increased blood flow and therefore reduced some inflammation in the areas I use it. His chronic pastern dermatitis has gone from shallow scabs that never change to deeper, fewer scabs that now bleed and are changing (in a good way) and the only difference has been the BoT.
I know there are off-brands with similar technology but I only have experience with the BoT stuff. Highly recommend!
My horse also lives with a Back on track “routine” no idea if it works but he’s been sound since starting it coupled with ice ice ice - he has thickening in his suspensory due to a previous surgery.
He wears back on track boots at turn out and to ride and gets wrapped every night with the standing wraps.
I bought the benefab magnetic boots but have yet to use them and my current routine is working so can’t say how they work.
Probable “snake oil” on both counts. The ONLY magnetic device ever proved to actually affect human tissue is the MRI machine. And it’s a HONKING BIG magnet that at the UT Med Center has pulled workmen wearing a tool belt with magnetic tools across the room when it was accidentally activated when the worker was in the room. I understand it also once disarmed a Knoxville police officer when the same thing happened. No consumer grade magnetic device in history ever did anything like that.
As to the rest, “I’m from MO; me, ya gotta show!!!”
G.
My feet feel better when I wear the BOT or incrediwear socks. I suspect they’re more effective for issues closer to the surface.
As far as I know MRI is diagnostic, not therapeutic.
The MRI instrument affects the spin states in the nucleus of the hydrogen atoms in water. The magnetic field causes the two spin states to align with or against the magnetic field, creating two energy levels. The radio frequency pulse causes some of the spin states to go from the lower to the higher energy level and the instrument measures the time that takes for them to go back down. The image comes from the fact that water in different tissue has different relaxation times. They use different pulse sequences to visualize various tissues.
Magnets are nothing more than wishing, lots of research has never shown any useful effects.
I keep my arthritic guy on devil’s claw & it has done really well for him, easing inflammation discomfort without causing belly issues. Fairly inexpensive & since he is 23 & mostly retired he does not have to pass drug tests anymore.
Thanks for the responses! It seems like the BOT boots do have some sort of benefit. I may have to try those.
I am skeptical of magnets too, I just thought I’d ask if anyone had any luck with them.
Years ago I purchased a bunch of Natural Vibrations magnetic boots and wraps for my horses. I had one super difficult horse who seemed to be better in the magnetic bell boots. That horse is long gone. Now I use the little pastern wraps on ME. I put them around my ankles at night. I swear they help me sleep better at night!
I have a BOT neck wrap for me too. I never wear it. Didn’t do a thing. But my Theralaser 2000 helps both my horses and me!
I was a major skeptic of the BoT type products, but after trying them on myself (for both muscle/tissue pain and joint arthritis) I am definitely a fan. I do find that you need to wear them for hours at a time to get any therapeutic benefit though, and unfortunately due to my boarding situation, I can’t use them on my mare long enough to make a difference. Using the BoT boots for a 45 minute ride wasn’t long enough to be beneficial based on my personal experience with the products.
I used Fenwick pastern wraps almost full time for my mare’s mild ringbone, although her case is mild so I didn’t notice any difference. Maybe it was more for my peace of mind? 
She got manure under one and developed a rub though so she’s on a break from them until it heals up.
Remember there are no muscles in the lower legs, so heat is generally not what you want. It is going to add inflammation, not remove it. Ice is how you remove inflammation.
^^^^ All day long this is true. I don’t even wrap for dressage lessons anymore, though I suspect people are murmuring:).
The literature is replete with studies that show magnetic field work well in stimulating bone growth. So, might not be a great idea with ring bone. My advisor did it with whole body static magnetic fields in mice for his dissertation.
And sports medicine is going away from ice. You can ONLY get tissue growth WITH inflammation (it is the precursor process that starts the regenerative processes). Studies indicate that ice tends to diminish long term outcomes.
I am at such a loss as that to do to help my gelding be comfortable enough to lightly ride. My vet has given me a prescription for Bute and I am to give him the day before the day of and the day after exercise. I was finally able to ride him this past week (the weather here has been wet and cool for almost 6 weeks). He did seem to be moving better with the Bute but was still not 100% sound at a trot.
Should I expect him to be 100% sound on Bute or should I just be able to notice a difference? Is there a supplement I can give him as well that would help with inflammation and pain? Could the wet and cool weather be affecting him as well? I know for myself my knee has been bothering me more than usual.
I have read that keeping a horse with ringbone on an exercise program helps-is anyone else familiar with this? He is on 24/7 turnout and is barefoot and my vet doesn’t advise I shoe him and he feels it isn’t necessary-I just need to keep him trimmed up. Should I use heat or cold hose him?
Sorry, I know I’m all over the place but I’m not ready to give up on him as he is in the prime of his life and I have read that if ringbone is properly managed a horse can remain active for many years.
I use ice boots with my horses. I have a few sets and keep them in the freezer then put them on for 20 mins after work.
I use these which are fab and really cool the legs. https://www.hopevalleysaddlery.co.uk/lemieux-pro-ice-boots.html
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