Natural eggshell membrane supplementation for chronic lameness in warmblood horses: a 12-week prospective before-after study.
Abstract: Osteoarthritis is a leading cause of equine lameness, yet pragmatic evidence for nutraceuticals in horses remains limited. Unassigned: We prospectively evaluated 12 weeks of daily natural eggshell membrane (NEM; 12 mg/kg, orally) supplementation in Warmblood horses with chronic lameness using a single-arm before-after design. Ten horses were enrolled and prespecified paired contrasts compared visit 3 (V3, week 12) with baseline (V1). Outcomes included rider-reported under-saddle function (walk and trot), examiner-graded lameness (rest and walk-trot composite), simple joint-angle kinematics (degrees), and owner-rated palatability. Unassigned: Rider-reported function improved by approximately half a grade at both walk and trot, and owner-rated palatability improved markedly. Examiner walk-trot scores showed a small trend toward improvement, while rest lameness remained unchanged. Statistical inference supported these patterns, with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) excluding zero for rider scores (Δ = -0.50) and palatability (Δ = -1.50). Moderate changes were observed in right-fore joint angle (Δ = +3.06°) and examiner composite grades (Δ = -0.11). These effects were supported by small-sample inference (permutation tests, bootstrap CIs) and complementary Bayesian estimation. Unassigned: NEM showed potential short-term improvements in owner-reported function and examiner-graded gait, but larger controlled studies are needed.
Copyright © 2026 Kwon, Jeong, Kim, Kim, Chun, Yang and Kim.
Publication Date: 2026-02-26 PubMed ID: 41834880PubMed Central: PMC12980879DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2026.1711135Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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Overview
- This study evaluated the effects of natural eggshell membrane (NEM) supplementation on chronic lameness in Warmblood horses over 12 weeks.
- Researchers found improvements in rider-reported function and some gait parameters, suggesting NEM may help with equine osteoarthritis-related lameness, though further research is necessary.
Background and Purpose
- Osteoarthritis is a common cause of lameness in horses, significantly impacting their mobility and performance.
- Nutraceuticals like natural eggshell membrane (NEM) are proposed to support joint health, but there is limited pragmatic, scientific evidence for their effectiveness in equine patients.
- The study aimed to prospectively assess the effects of daily NEM supplementation over 12 weeks on chronic lameness in Warmblood horses.
Study Design and Methods
- Design: Single-arm, before-after study without a placebo or control group.
- Duration: 12 weeks of daily NEM supplementation at a dose of 12 mg/kg, administered orally.
- Subjects: 10 Warmblood horses with chronic lameness were enrolled.
- Visits: Baseline assessment (Visit 1, V1) and final assessment at 12 weeks (Visit 3, V3).
- Outcome measures included:
- Rider-reported under-saddle function at walk and trot, graded in severity.
- Examiner-graded lameness, evaluated both at rest and during walk-trot composite gait analysis.
- Joint-angle kinematics using simple measurements of range of motion (degrees).
- Owner-rated palatability of the supplement.
- Statistical analysis used pre-specified paired contrasts comparing V3 to V1, supported by permutation tests, bootstrap confidence intervals, and Bayesian estimation due to small sample size.
Results
- Rider-Reported Function:
- Improved by approximately half a grade at both walk and trot after 12 weeks.
- This improvement was statistically supported with 95% confidence intervals excluding zero (Δ = -0.50), indicating a real effect rather than chance.
- Owner-Rated Palatability:
- Marked improvement, suggesting horses readily accepted the supplement (Δ = -1.50).
- Examiner-Graded Lameness:
- Walk-trot composite scores showed a small trend toward improvement (Δ = -0.11).
- Resting lameness scores did not change significantly.
- Joint-Angle Kinematics:
- Moderate improvement observed in right forelimb joint angles, with an increase of +3.06º, indicating better range of motion.
- Overall, these improvements were supported by multiple statistical methods that compensate for small sample size.
Interpretation and Implications
- NEM supplementation showed potential to improve short-term functional mobility and gait quality in Warmblood horses with chronic lameness due to osteoarthritis.
- The improvements in rider-reported function and certain objective measures suggest a positive impact on joint health or pain reduction.
- Because the study lacked a control group and had a small sample size, results must be interpreted cautiously.
- This study provides preliminary evidence supporting the feasibility and potential benefits of NEM, warranting larger, controlled trials to validate these findings and clarify clinical relevance.
- Palatability is important for ensuring compliance, and the marked improvement in acceptability suggests NEM is well tolerated by horses.
Limitations
- Small sample size of only 10 horses limits generalizability and statistical power.
- No placebo or control group means improvements could be influenced by placebo effects, natural variation, or other factors.
- Only short-term outcomes (12 weeks) were assessed; long-term effects remain unknown.
- Simple joint-angle kinematics may not capture all nuances of functional improvement.
Conclusions
- Natural eggshell membrane supplementation may offer benefit in managing chronic lameness in Warmblood horses related to osteoarthritis.
- Further rigorously designed, larger-scale, controlled studies are needed to confirm efficacy and determine optimal dosing and duration.
Cite This Article
APA
Kwon YS, Jeong H, Kim J, Kim J, Chun K, Yang SK, Kim B.
(2026).
Natural eggshell membrane supplementation for chronic lameness in warmblood horses: a 12-week prospective before-after study.
Front Vet Sci, 13, 1711135.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2026.1711135 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
- Large Animal Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jeju National University, Jeju-si, Republic of Korea.
- Division of Clinical Trial Management, Affiliated Research Institute, Ari B&C Co., Ltd., Yongin-si, Republic of Korea.
- ACE Equestrian Team, Cheongdeok High School, Yongin-si, Republic of Korea.
- ACE Equestrian Team, Vivian & Stanley Gangnam International Scholars, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Affiliated Research Institute, Seongdong Bio Co., Ltd., Goyang-si, Republic of Korea.
- College of Korean Medicine, Wonkwang University, Iksan-si, Republic of Korea.
Conflict of Interest Statement
JK is an employee of Ari B&C Co., Ltd., and SY is an employee of Seongdong Bio Co., Ltd. The remaining author(s) declared that this work was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
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