Joint Therapy

Following therapy to treat inflammation around his fetlocks, Nate's Mineshaft has registered three graded stakes wins this season.

Winner of this year's New Orleans Handicap (G2), Nate's Mineshaft will start in the Stephen Foster Handicap (G1) Saturday night at Churchill Downs. The successful season follows treatment at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine.

Nate's Mineshaft's career was in jeopardy when he developed inflammation around his fetlocks, causing softball-sized swelling during the second half of his 2011 campaign. The Mineshaft ridgling was shipped to the University of Missouri to undergo therapy in hopes of resuming his career.

The therapy, called Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist Protein (IRAP), introduces a helpful protein harvested and magnified from the horse's blood that helps decrease and prevent inflammation in the joints.

"During IRAP, we draw the horse's blood and placed it in a syringe with specialized glass beads that stimulate the production of a unique protein during a 24-hour incubation period," said Shannon Reed, assistant professor of equine surgery and lameness at the Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine. "After 24 hours, the serum with the enhanced protein levels is divided into multiple doses that are injected into the horse's joint weekly for four to five weeks. Because this treatment uses the horse's own blood, there is no risk of disease transmission or immune rejection from foreign proteins."

Since his recovery, Nate's Mineshaft has won five of seven starts, including the New Orleans Handicap (G2) — in which he set a track record — Mineshaft Handicap (G3), and Lone Star Park Handicap (G3).

"It really is a Cinderella story," Reed said. "Nate was purchased for $8,000 and has won over a half-million. His success in the more competitive graded stakes is particularly impressive considering his injuries and his long road back to recovery.

IRAPs work *amazingly* well - I've used it and been blown away with the results!!! It's fairly costly, but well worth the expense! And the best part? it's all natural - taken from the horse itself. I was going to post something about this on the "Go Fast Drug" thread.... so thanx Sylvester

I rub Vicks Vapour rub on my joints works a treat...

sure it would help horses,good for their breathing as well

Bob,

Somebody would probably find a reason why the easy breathing is a help to the horse, makes it run faster therefore it should not be allowed

Vicks is also amazing, and is in my day-to-day "cuts and scratches" box... Used on a daily basis for all sorts of bumps and cuts. Yes, it heals cuts beautifully - I use it on myself too!

hibernia Wrote:

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> I rub Vicks Vapour rub on my joints works a
> treat...
>
> sure it would help horses,good for their breathing
> as well

Shew here I was having a good chuckle at this for two reasons:

a. Never heard of any one rubbiing rub vicks on a spliff before
b. Imagining horses smoking grass not eating it

I got it all wrong, I think he is being serious...... LoL!!!!

...Products like Vicks, Wintergreen etc are banned in certain racing areas.... Singapore springs to mind....they contain menthol which can help a horse breath better.....nasal strips can also be doctored with menthol drops and other substances and are being investigated in USA....:S