What Is the Function of Cartilage in a Horse?

Horses, like humans, grow cartilage in their bodies that serve several distinct purposes. Also similar to the substance found in a human body, the cartilage in a horse's body can experience wear and tear throughout its lifetime and should be taken care of and treated to maintain a healthy animal. Cartilage is found in several areas of the horse's body, and all must be looked after carefully.

  1. Bone Development

    • When an animal with a skeletal structure is growing in its mother's womb, it develops cartilage limbs that harden into bone as the animal grows. A horse's bones begin as cartilage and harden into the thick internal skeleton that allows an animal sturdy movement. Other cartilage-based areas, like the cartilage around the nose, remain pliable throughout the animal's life, similar to the nose and ear cartilage of a human.

    Joints

    • Cartilage acts as a buffer between bones, ensuring that they do not rub and scrape together when an animal moves. Like a human, a horse has cartilage between its joints and around connected bones. As a horse ages or is worked hard, cartilage can be worn down, similar to the development of arthritis.

    Hooves

    • A horse's hooves are partially comprised of cartilage. The hoof is a thick, hard surface that absorbs the shock of the animal's movement. It is best suited for soft turf like the plains found in the wild horses' habitats. A horse will have shoes adhered to its hooves by people when the horse will spend a significant amount of time walking on man made surfaces, or when hooves have a deformity or are not balanced properly to ensure ideal movement. The malleable nature of cartilage as found in the hooves allows the animal to adapt to ground conditions.

    Cartilage Care

    • Cartilage can be worn down over time or through excessive work. Horses who begin work, such as racing, jumping, or pulling carts later in life are less likely to develop early on-set joint and cartilage damage. A balanced diet with glucosamine can help regulate the ability of cartilage to be maintained and function properly in a horse's body.