interesting article on Bute and it's side effects...

http://www.elcaballista.com/?p=279

So erm... the article doesn't suggest alternatives... It says there are some, but no names... I have no problem with giving bute for an injury (obviously) but I do have problems with them buting competing horses at a high level. The FEI's new guidelines only allow for 1gram to be administered 24 hours before the event. On a horse the size of Genie, that would make a negligible amount of difference. I'm surprised people are so up in arms about it. How many people are actually going to do it? Most will realise its worthless?

why would you be wanting to do it in the first place?!

It can cause a further break down in your horses health, and if using it as a pain killer, why are you competing a horse in pain?

That I guess is the part I have always thought dodgy, if you NEED bute, you shouldn't be competing the horse in the first place!

What I was more interested in was the effects it has on the animal even just being used in a pain relief capacity... People tend to use bute left right and centre (good old vets) and yet it appears the health effects it can have on a horse can be quite severe in a very short space of time, not good...

Devils Claw would be one herbal alternative of course.

I completely agree with you Ka Raz.

Ginger would be another alternative for bute and banamine....

The reason why I (this is like the Royal 'we') might need bute is that an older horse, working at the level mine does, gets stiff through a 3 day tournament. There is only so much you can do to help externally. The bastards have banned Devils Claw. So my question is, what are the alternatives to bute that he thinks are just as good? I won't feed bute to Genie, as you have mentioned, it has long term ill effects. He already has a sensitive enough gut prone to ulcers!

Ginger, thank you! Thats a good one CD. His sore no more has that in it too so internally it may help. I wonder if he'll let me put it in his feed...

I doubt it Tuahiwi, ginger is VERY strong/hot for us, even more for horses who are not usually eating too spicy

I use molasses to mask the ginger with some apple sauce, pen up a big syringe and in it goes. After a little while they eat it with no problem, only wonder why is that molasses so hot? Ha, ha.

There is a certain amount of ginger per body weight so don't just go and drop a bag of ginger on them ....

My friends horse loves ginger!!! (Spose its like a person - I love ginger - Hubby hates it)

My pony's on bute at the moment.../

off to read artical

I have an old dressage school master who was having trouble with stiffness. I've have had the chiropractor, saddle fitter, equine massage all up and have decided i now have to admit that its old age and he's retired. I give him the Brookby Herbs devils claw mix (luckily he's not competing as i wasn't aware they had banned this)

The other suppliment i was recommended was Equiflex it's made by Nutritech.