Am at at loss, very disheartened :0(

[The-mad-cat-lady]

May I be so dim to suggest that 30 odd years ago we had straight forward breeds .
You had a TB, a Cob, a Native etc
Loony toons horses do seen to be more prominent these days with all the cross breeds we seem to have bred

 

[Goldenstar]

Is such a shame that in this situation you feel obliged and rushed to have every possible treatment and diagnosis done to ensure you get your vets fees paid, when actually the best thing would possibly be turn the horse away out in a field for 24/7 for a year.

This is so true the days when vets said my dear it's life in the paddock for him now are long ago the vets are in a headlong rush to spend 5k as quickly as possible and the owner is towed along and it hard to stem the tide unless you are really strong willed.
In these sort of cases it not like say a broken leg they fix it if they can it heals or does not heal if it does the horse goes back to its life, this horse will need ongoing help for the rest of it life and OP is going to be paying the bill for that at some point.
I really feel for her this is a difficult time.

 

[Tinypony]

Is such a shame that in this situation you feel obliged and rushed to have every possible treatment and diagnosis done to ensure you get your vets fees paid, when actually the best thing would possibly be turn the horse away out in a field for 24/7 for a year.

Didn't Op say that she has already given her horse two periods of 6 months rest?
I too have been in a situation where I made sure my horse had all the tests because I was worried that if she needed serious treatment I wouldn't be able to pay for it if the year ran out. After all, I had paid insurance for all those years specifically so that I could do my best for her if she developed any serious medical conditions.

As someone who was very much around in the "old days" I would suggest that there was nothing more superior about our horses and ponies then. I think many of us were less aware when there was a physical problem - I rode everything in the same saddle for example and if they protested pushed them through it never thinking they might be in pain. I am sure that we were also quicker to dispose of unsound, unrideable and behaviour problem horses.

I think it's wrong to speculate about what the rest of this horse's life will be like, or the care he might need when - as has been pointed out several times - there hasn't been a proper diagnosis yet. Or do people here have psychic connections to poorly horses?

 

[SpruceRI]

Didn't Op say that she has already given her horse two periods of 6 months rest?

Yes sorry, didn't realise there was a second page with more replies! Tried to delete message but was too late!

 

[muff747]

"Remember never take anything at face value-I have yet to see any evidence to back any of these impressive statements up. Just because barefoot shout loudest at the minute,doesn't mean their way is the best. (And amazingly they can offer this advie without having any idea about your indiviudal horses conformation/situation)[/QUOTE]
SusieT
It's unfortunate that you haven't seen any evidence of navicular symptoms being turned around and stopped, but thousands of others have, they are basing their impressive statements on what they have seen. Rockley Farm and other EPs are prooving these impressive statements to be true all the time and have been for years. Just because you haven't seen it with your own eyes, doesn't mean that it isn't true.
I went against my farrier and vet after all the remedial treaments, shoes etc stopped working. I was told those treatments wouldn't cure the navicular, only slow it down. After eight years of gradual deterioration, I finally took his shoes off and his feet transformed themselves and he was off pain relief within eight months. After being retired for the previous twelve months, I was riding him again in three months and hacking out as normal in six. I have seen the impressive transformation of hooves that have been released from shoes. I wish I had found the barefoot remedy for navicular ten years ago.
Also navicular does not exist in wild horses so therefore it must be man made and coincidentally, it is almost exclusively found in shod horses.
I would like to bet though that you have had experience and seen many horses that have suffered from navicular and have had to be pts because the remedial farriery stopped working, or they were denerved and that ended up not working? Going barefoot does stop navicular in it's tracks.
Also it is well known that back problems can be a result of compensating for lameness

 

[MeganLindsx]

I would be very surprised if it was the in the feet. A horse doesn't normally react that badly from having a saddle on if it has pain in the feet especially when everyone else has told you that her back and saddle area are very sore. My friends mare is lame in front had x-rays and they showed changes to the navicular but not enough to warrant a lameness.

(I'm not an expert so I could be wrong(!!!) but I think it is very unlikely for a horse to react this way)

Get a vet out for a second opinoin, get the physio out again and maybe get the vets to refer her for a bone scan and see if that can tell you whats going on. It will also show up hot spots in the foot if thats where the problem is.

 

[Goldenstar]

Have recently seen an X-ray of my saddle on the back of my horse with kissing spines I can understand exactly why this type of back pain causes explosive bucking fits I felt physically sick when I saw it.

 

[SpruceRI]

Have recently seen an X-ray of my saddle on the back of my horse with kissing spines I can understand exactly why this type of back pain causes explosive bucking fits I felt physically sick when I saw it.

I agree with you there

Just seeing the x-ray of one of mine with KS made me realise that the added pressure of me sitting on top was crushing the spiny processes inwards - made me feel giddy with guilt

 

[MissMincePie&Brandy]

Just wanted to say, that I know exactly how you feel. My horse was diagnosed with similar symptoms after being x-rayed. Previously, he had behavioural problems when ridden and I'd had various professional riders in to assist me, but it was just getting worse. It turned out that my horse was bilaterally lame, and it was not obvious to see at all. I have annual back and saddle checks and not even my back man, nor saddler even suspected KS, it was only diagnosed from the x-rays and it really shocked me. He was diagnosed with KS (7 impingements), Navicular, PSD, .... He then suffered a serious colic after his first Tildren and for a while it looked like we'd probably lose him and I'd need to make a decision, but he pulled through and at that moment I decided to stop all invasive 'treatments' and retire the horse from ridden work. He's now a much loved pet and it's now 18 months since the diagnosis and he's 100% field sound and is very happy and well in himself.

He's bf on his hinds, but wears front shoes still. We tried and persevered to remove the fronts, but he couldn't cope at all so we put them back and you could almost see the relief on his face.

Every horse is different, and I think it's important to read your horse and do what's best for him.

 

[JessandCharlie]

Can't quote on phone - but re white feet. I know, classic, isn't it? Have lost all respect for her now, which is a shame oh well, I'm in the middle of moving practices anyway

J&C