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My 9-year-old horse's legs crack, but he has no pain. Is this normal?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Farm Animal | Horse | Male | neutered | 1200 lbs

Hi, my horse was previously jumped by a different rider when he was around 4 at 4 ft. He is now 9 and his legs now crack every time he moves but Dosent seem to cause him pain. I was just wondering if this was normal and if jumping at this height and age is normal and may have caused this? Thanks in advance :)

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Chad Brown, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on July 20th, 2018

Hello and thank you very much for your question. Crepitus, or crackling sounds, can be normal for a horse and is not necessarily indicative of pain or arthritis.

This occurs with aging. Because there does not seem to be pain upon jumping or movement, I see no reason not to continue this eventing. One thing I would recommend, however, is to talk to your local veterinarian about putting you on a prescription strength glucosamine chondroitin or hyaluronic acid supplement to keep your horse moving pain-free. These have no side effects and research shows that they work quite well in delaying or preventing future joint issues.

Thanks a lot for your question. I hope I have helped.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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