Alright - talk me off the ledge please . . . things look bleak

[PolarSkye]

So Kal is bilaterally lame in front . . . he was "short" this time last week, had a week in the field (in at night), we buted him and worked him yesterday - went great - but this morning he is definitely lame - more on the near fore.

He was diagnosed with navicular pretty much this time two years ago (oh, and sidebone) . . . vet recommended bar shoes/rolled toes and work and he has been sound - until now.

Farrier's coming tomorrow just to double check that there's no pus in the foot, stone bruising, etc., and then I will get the vet out.

I have felt his legs, his shoulders, etc., and there is no heat, no swelling, no lumps or bumps and he isn't sensitive anywhere. I'm no vet, but there are warning bells going off in my head.

So . . . my batman plan is to talk to the vet, see if he concurs with my gut feeling, and then (if viable) come up with a rehab plan . . . I can go one of two ways - remedial farriery and bute . . . or barefoot rehab (I'm leaning towards barefoot) . . . but I sure could use some encouraging words right now . . . I keep looking at my beautiful silver boy and thinking "this is it . . . " . . . .

I've been in tears much of the afternoon . . . not sure who I am without him (as wet as that sounds) . . . need to (wo)man up . . .

P

 

[amandap]

I'm so sorry. x

First you need to know the probable cause eg. as you are doing, rule out abscess or even laminitis etc.

I've no experience of navicular (diagnosed) but have read loads about barefoot rehab and the prognosis is so much better than the remedial shoeing route it seems.

Just get a good idea of what is currently going on first then get stuck into research starting with Rockley Farm blog ad Pete Ramey's web site.

Think positive, Kal will be.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

If it is the Navicular causing the pain then I would go the BF route. That's easy for me to say now, as I have had a horse go from being nearly PTS to sound (not navicular though) by changing Farrier and doing a BF rehab under his instruction + diet help from Oberon and CPTrayes. It was a much more daunting prospect before I saw what a difference it can make.

Just be aware that you might not get any support from your Vet.

 

[Sheep]

If it is the Navicular causing the pain then I would go the BF route. That's easy for me to say now, as I have had a horse go from being nearly PTS to sound (not navicular though) by changing Farrier and doing a BF rehab under his instruction + diet help from Oberon and CPTrayes. It was a much more daunting prospect before I saw what a difference it can make.

Just be aware that you might not get any support from your Vet.

Sorry to hear your boy has gone lame, PS. I second what Faracat has said; if you look at it from the perspective that you haven't really got anything to lose by trying it, you may be surprised by the results. My boy has problems in his front feet, went down the remedial shoeing route but to be honest it did very little for him, and to the best of my knowledge (I could be wrong here, so I apologise if I am) the longevity of remedial shoeing isn't really guaranteed. My boy is only 3 weeks unshod but he is doing really well and looking really good.

Good luck whatever you decide, it is really tough going against vets/farriers, but if you do go down this route there is loads of support out there x

 

[stencilface]

Barefoot all the way for me, I'm at this stage after 3 lamenesses in 3 legs in 3 years. I'm still at the early stage, but I love looking at and looking after his feet, and IMHO his musculature with minimal work has changed so much behind. His contracted heels are a thing of the past and I can only think he feels so much better without all his ligaments, nerves etc being pinched at his heels. His PSD hind has done some weird and wonderful things since being allowed to stretch and flex the way it wants. Chiro was amazed in December as the horse was properly sound behind for the first time in years. He's had a niggle the chiro hasn't been able to put his finger on for a while.

Yes, I'm still in boots for road work, and watching him walk on gravel is ouchy (recommendation from a bf friend is to not look, working well so far!) but I will get there. He's getting a year minimum at giving it a go before I consider putting shoes on again.

 

[Heelfirst]

I was someone who turned to shoes for any laminitic, Navicular, or re-balance problems for some 38 years, until 6 years ago.
I now find that barefoot is the best way to go for the same problems, when it comes to navicular, most of the lameness stems from the circulation defects in the caudal third of the foot; these are usually brought on by shoeing and imbalance.
Do feel free to PM me, I don’t know where you are but if I can be of any help please get in touch
This page may help you make a decision: http://www.rockfoot.com/footfall.html

 

[LittleBlackMule]

^^^^This^^^^

 

[Lucy_Ally]

My horse was diagnosed with bilateral forelimb lameness in November 2013. X-rays showed no bony changes but probable soft tissue probs. We tried bar shoes and wedges/pads and it made everything worse and got to the point where she bucked me off big style! We took the shoes off in January - horse is now sound
We're gently upping the work and introducing new surfaces, we have started hacking with boots, horse is relaxed and happy. Physio can't believe the change in her - power walk is back and she now lifts through her withers and flicks her toes in trot (rather than trotting like a sowing machine in treacle!).

I know the diagnosis is different, but it's the best thing I did. I was looking at retirement, and I'm not sure I'll push her back to full work (she has spavin too), so I'm taking it steady and if we just hack 3 or 4 times a week I'll be happy, anything else is a bonus. Good luck, it's been tough at times but I know I did the right thing.

ETA: I had full support of my vet and YM and have a great trimmer - it made everything much easier!

 

[Nicnac]

Get down off that ledge right now! You're no use to Kal sitting up there. First - get farrier out as you are and then, if farrier can't find pus etc etc, get vet. Once you know what you are dealing with then make your plan. Speculation only leads to anxiety and sitting on ledges!!

Fingers x'd farrier finds 2 bruised soles where he's been pratting about in the field x

 

[mightymammoth]

my intermittently lame horse has been "cured" +touch wood+ since taking his shoes off after going down the egg bar route.

I would never put shoes on him again. Is he insured? If i could go back I would have sent him straight to rockly farm instead of farffing about with egg bars etc

 

[toomanyhorses26]

step away from the ledge lady My ginger childs story is on here through various posts - he has come back from 7/10 lame in front with navicular issues,ddft issues - blah blah blah He went to Rockley , been rocking the walking rehab in his matchy matchy and we had our first sneaky jump last week - talk to the right people,I did ALOT of reading and listening and come to your decision - good luck in whatever you decide

 

[Leg_end]

Get off the ledge

I'd be another to recommend barefoot rehab but I'd also add that it isn't easy and you have to be 100% dedicated to it, surround yourself with people who want you to succeed and understand why you have chosen BF and that it is a journey - if you chose Rockley he probably won't be 100% on all surfaces when he comes home and some people can't cope seeing them gimp on the odd stone until their hoof capsule has grown through. I'm 18 months down the barefoot route and I have taken things very slowly but we're about to enter our first ODE

My story is on our blog but you aren't too far from me so if you want to meet up to understand what's involved then let me know.

 

[spookypony]

Have PM'd you!

 

[amandap]

How's Kal today and are you off that ledge and feeling a bit better?

 

[PolarSkye]

OK . . . first of all many, many thanks for all the words of support. I was in a very dark, pessimistic place yesterday and was probably more than a little self-indulgent.

So . . . farrier came this morning and couldn't find any tenderness in his feet . . . nor could he find a bounding pulse so we've ruled out abscess, stone bruise, lami - which is good. When we trotted him up on the tarmac he was damn near sound . . . and had no trouble with the small turns to change direction . . . but when lunged in the school wasn't right on his near fore (yesterday it was the off fore).

Farrier feels that it's higher up . . . judging by his gait and the way he displays the lameness (he sort of hitches the shoulder up rather than dropping it down - he's not avoiding putting weight on either foot). I'm still not 100% convinced that he's right (Kal has fooled us all before wrt lameness and where it originated) . .. but next step is to get the vet out and (possibly) nerve block.

I am more optimistic than I was yesterday . . . however, even IF this current lameness isn't in his feet, I am still inclined to take him barefoot. His jockey will be out of action for a good six months (job related) so he'd be having a rest from competition anyway and it just seems like the perfect time to do it.

There's a lot of change afoot for Team PolarSkye - there's no question about that - but (hopefully) it'll be worth it. For now, I need to stick to the Batman Plan . . . get the vet out, hope he concurs with my farrier and come up with a plan to get him sound . . . and then I need to put Operation Barefoot Rehab into place.

The desperate worry I felt yesterday might have been the kick up the backside I needed to do something I've wanted to do with him for a while.

Thank you everyone - your kind words and support mean a lot . . . and I may yet be back on here whining about something else .

P

P.S. And his wonderful jockey Z came today for the farrier, and has insisted she will be there for the vet - as will our dressage trainer C . . . I am so lucky to have such a wonderful team supporting the silver reprobate

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Horrid situation - we have one here with navicular he was worse barefoot than with natural balance shoes. Each case is different, Comfrey and Willow can prove very useful in relief of symptoms early on.
Great success has been achieved in treating this disease in a holistic approach.

 

[amandap]

Glad you are feeling more positive, fingers crossed for you both and good luck for the bf rehab..

 

[JillA]

Check this out if shoulder is the probable problem.http://thehorsesback.com/equine-arthritis/ If it is DJD or any other sort of arthritic condition maybe try turmeric + pepper = oil - (there is a Turmeric Users Group on FB which tells you the hows and whys) alongside barefoot rehab perhaps.

 

[racebuddy]

my Showjumper was severely lame , suspected everything frOm fractures to navicular u name it , xrayed nerve blocked , tried bar shoes made it ten times worse , took shoes off now
Sound and back
In work x x fingers crossed xx

 

[Orangehorse]

First thing is to get a diagnosis. If you decide to go barefoot anyway, you know the basics. Get the diet sorted first with very low sugar and starch and make sure minerals are correct. You can buy supplements that are good for barefoot horses.

Then find a trimmer who can support you and then buy a set of hoof boots and get pads inside. The pads will provide the correct support and pressure for your horse's sole and hoof and means that you can carry on riding, in fact, as you know, exercise is essential for hoof rehab. Don't try to be completely barefoot until the hooves are strong enough to go without boots. Well, that is my advice anyway!

 

[applecart14]

I know how you feel having lameness issues with my lad as we speak.

But time is a great healer (in more ways than one) and I really think you should give it a bit more time maybe. I wouldn't personally go down the barefoot route as I believe (although I may be shot down in flames ) that it takes ages for horses to reajust and this may not be the best for your horse given his navicular and sidebone (but I may be wrong).

I would take guidance from your vet as you suggest but I would look at remedial farriery and bute or a bute trial like I am doing at the moment.

I know how hard it is when you can't find the answer to your questions. My vet thinks I am bonkers as I have 'diagnosed' my horse with at least four different things since his lameness began!! Earlier in the week I told him I thought Bailey had DSLD (I am sure I could hear him rolling around the floor of his car laughing) bless him.

Keep your chin up hun x

 

[Meowy Catkin]

A14 - i wont shoot you down in flames, but I do disagree with you. Even with horses with really shoe sick hooves, it can be quite surprising how easily and quickly they cope with having their shoes off. Really you wont know how long a horse will take to adjust until you try. The evidence is growing that doing a proper BF rehab can and does, reverse navicular changes, which used to be thought to be irreversible.

 

[Busybusybusy]

I'm another who would advocate barefoot - my boy went lame in Nov 2012 and was given a navicular diagnosis, was told by the vet he probably wouldn't come sound again & he recommended de nerving. I ignored that & took him barefoot. He went to Rockley, but we found that he had kissing spines whilst he was there. So he came back & was operated on. I therefore had to do a lot of walking in hand which was great for his feet. Fast forward to now & we have been dressaging, jumping, and have done 2 training rides and an endurance ride. And he's SOUND!!

 

[Leg_end]

I wouldn't personally go down the barefoot route as I believe (although I may be shot down in flames ) that it takes ages for horses to reajust and this may not be the best for your horse given his navicular and sidebone (but I may be wrong).

Another not to shoot you down but to provide alternative evidence Buddy had horrifically flat feet when first out of shoes which, on first look, you would assume couldn't cope without shoes. But he did and was sound again within 8 weeks. He was capable across all surfaces (and by that I mean uneven, broken brick type rubble surfaces) by week 20. We re xrayed his feet in Aug 13 which was 11 months after the first set and the damage to his navicular and pedal bones showed evidence of improvement. All we did was take his shoes off and amend his diet, nothing else changed. So, those who think navicular is a degenerative condition need to think again!

 

[amandap]

It's great to read all these positive stories!

 

[paulineh]

Polarskye if you want a good and local BF trimmer I can let you have the number of the lady I use.

I would defiantly go down the Barefoot route for any horse that has Navicular

 

[Geminismum]

Barefoot! My 3yr old was diagnosed with moderate navicular, collateral and suspensory ligament damage via MRI in sept 2013 after being 2-3/10 bi laterally lame for 6 months. It was one of the worst days of my life and I had convinced myself that everything was going to end badly. The vets seemed to only offer one type of treatment - bar shoes with wedges and extensive box rest! �� It was then when I started reading about barefoot (she wasn't shod anyway) Barefoot makes sense to me. It seems logical so we committed and she's due to come home from Rockley next weekend. I think she's still got a way to go but I'm comfortable knowing without a doubt in my mind that I've made the right choice in terms of treatment for her. She'll be having another MRI hopefully in the next couple of months so it'll be interesting to see what's going on inside her feet. I think you need to weigh up your options carefully and make sure you're committed to whatever decision you make. Feel free to PM me if you want any more background/ info. Good luck !

 

[Meowy Catkin]

G - the MRI results will be very interesting. It must have been heartbreaking having such a young horse diagnosed with those problems, I'm glad that she's coming home soon. I think that your post also demonstrates that there is much more to a BF rehab than just having no shoes on the horse.

 

[PoppyAnderson]

If he was mine, I'd have him booked straight into Rockley. Agree with whoever said prepare for no support from your vet. Do it anyway. Best of luck.

 

[PoppyAnderson]

I wouldn't personally go down the barefoot route as I believe (although I may be shot down in flames ) that it takes ages for horses to reajust and this may not be the best for your horse given his navicular and sidebone (but I may be wrong). x

You are absolutely wrong.