Working at the track you see just about every single horse have joint injections! I would wait as long as you can before starting to inject. It is just so easy for the vet and quick cash, that they always suggest it. But.... you have to keep injecting the joint, you can't just do it one time and that be it. It will start off to be once every couple months, then before you know it, its once every couple weeks. It damages the joint!! I know for a fact, we had two geldings with chips in the knees that were getting injections every couple weeks to once a month. Once we took them off the injections, fluid started building up, then it turned really hard and formed star tissue and calicifications. Its ugly and hurts the horse in the long run. If you are going to do injections, get the acid verison for it seems to last longer and is a bit better.

It sounds as if your horse isn't that bad at all. I have a gelding who used to get stiff in the back end the first couple steps out of his stall and since I moved him to a 12X24 outside pen, where he can move around more, his stiffness is gone. Seems as if your horse might need to move around a bit more.

I like the suggestion by Silversprite about the Glucosimine. I also use it on my gelding that has a tendon injury and it takes away inflamation, reduces sanovial fluid, and relieves pain. You can get it in the pure powder form from www.valleysupply.com for $25! I have noticed a difference with my guy. I mix it in with his beet pulp, that way I know he is getting all of it and it wont blow away for the beet pulp is always mixed with water.