Reducing chronic back pain and inflammation in horses using a commercial herbal liniment

BackgroundBack pain in horses, regardless of the underlying cause, is a common condition that can result in poor performance. The field veterinarian has limited noninvasive treatment options for reduction in back muscle soreness. This study was designed to evaluate effectiveness of a commercially available herbal, nonheating liniment (Sore No More Performance Ultra, Arenus), in reducing pain and inflammation in horses with mild back pain. ObjectivesFocus on a standardised area of the lumbar back region to evaluate effects of an herbal liniment over 44 days using pressure algometry to determine pain response and thermographic measurement of surface temperature to evaluate inflammation. Study designA randomised complete block design was used. Eighteen mature stock horses were evaluated for back pain and randomly assigned to treatment group (herbal liniment or control solution). MethodsAll horses maintained similar light work 5 days per week in a university equestrian programme for 44 days. Evaluation of the back was standardised by identifying the lumbar region, and pain and inflammation assessed weekly with force gauge pressure readings and thermal images. ResultsAll horses displayed a decrease in pain scores over the first 3 weeks of the study, but the control group saw a rise in pain scores at Day 23. Pain scores on the left side of the back were significantly lower in the liniment group than the control group at Day 30. Main limitationsNumber of horses available for the study was limited. Daily exercise of the horses used represented typical use of mature lesson horses, however, was not standardised for the entirety of the 44-day trial. ConclusionsStandardised evaluation procedures using pressure algometry and thermography found that Sore No More Performance Ultra herbal liniment had some effect on thermography (inflammation) and pain response of the back, with improvements shown at 23-30 days.