In the high-stakes world of reining, where horses must perform precise maneuvers at speed, joint health isn’t just important, it’s everything. Jordan Larson of Larson Performance Horses, one of reining’s most accomplished professionals, has discovered that success lies not in treating problems after they arise, but in preventing them before they start.
A Champion’s Perspective
With over $3 million in NRHA lifetime earnings and a track record that includes becoming the youngest rider to earn $1 million in NRHA competition at just 30 years old, Jordan Larson knows what it takes to keep horses performing at the highest levels.
“We started using Arthramid® a couple years ago,” Larson shares. His introduction came through a horse named I Shine at Night, who competed at the Run for a Million. After treating the horse’s stifles with Arthramid, Larson noticed the frequency of traditional joint injections decreased significantly, and the benefits lasted much longer.
Focus on Stifles
In reining, stifle health is crucial for sliding stops, spins, and lead changes. “I really have used it a lot in stifles primarily, and I feel like it helps the horse’s joints stay sound longer, but they also don’t need to be injected as often,” Larson explains.
The results have been so positive that Arthramid has become central to his program. “Probably almost every horse I’m showing has Arthramid in their stifles,” he notes. Larson has also used it successfully in front feet and knees, but primarily stifles.
The Key: Prevention Over Reaction
Larson’s most important insight centers on timing. “The biggest thing I would say is trying to get ahead of the curve, not waiting until you have a big problem is where Arthramid really comes in.”
This preventive approach is crucial because Arthramid works differently than traditional joint injections. “It works in a different way than a regular injection does, so it’s not as fast acting,” he explains. “You don’t want to wait till you have a problem. You want to try to get ahead of the curve, and when you do that, I think it’s really effective.”
Long-Term Joint Health
For Larson, Arthramid “does a great job of keeping that joint happy and healthy.” Unlike corticosteroids that provide rapid but temporary relief, Arthramid targets the synovium to promote long-term joint health, it’s designed for prevention and maintenance rather than crisis intervention.
