Any owners of horses with navicular? Can you tell me...

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merliebug

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...how many of them are in work?

My 6yo TB was recently diagnosed with severe navicular and also lesions to his DDFT, primarily on his off fore (which had additionally suffered from suspensory ligament damage the year before). The prognosis is obviously not great, and once I'd received the MRI report I got myself used to the fact that he'd never be ridden again. Of course I was beyond upset, but I'd dealt with the idea of him being a pet.

Now my vet is saying that, with a trial of a new medication and with the use of tildren and navilox, he wants me to use him as a 'leisure horse'. How many of you had write-offs that you then ended up riding?
If he stays sound (and only then will I ever consider riding him) do you think he'd be able to do very light hacking and dressage? I'm just a little bit uncertain at the moment of exactly how much work a leisure horse does! Most people I know who leisurely hack end up blasting around the woods, and I have to say I would NOT feel comfortable doing anything remotely close to that with him.
As a means to keep him focused on something I'm soon going to be starting the Parelli program with him, which I'm looking forward to, so the riding isn't the be-all and end-all for us.
Anyway, sorry to ramble and a pat on the back if you got this far; I just wanted to know what your experiences and opinions were.

Thanks in advance,

Anna
 
my boy has it in right front vet has him on corta vet scoop day hes sound to hack out 3 days week schooloing for 20 mins once a week. no hard jumping constant cantering/galloping, hes sound for now but vet says he could need retired in 1year + depends on how i ride him (allway easy)
 
No advice here but wanted to say that I am sorry to hear this has happened to your boy. Hope it all works out with him
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Enjoy the parelli!
 
Thank you :-)

It really is so sad, especially as he is so young - he's had so much wrong with him in his short life already.
I have the distinct feeling, as does my vet, that he was raced as a youngster, but not officially and not on tracks - most likely down roads, either ridden or with a trap/ buggy, when he was in Ireland.

I think he'll really respond well to Parelli as he's a very 'people horse' and already plays with me when I go to do things in the field like check the fencing or the trough. I think we'll have fun either way, as long as he's not in pain and he's happy :-)
 
look up
rockleyfarm.co.uk
uknhcp.org.uk
barefoothorses.co.uk

Rockley Farm is doing a research project with a veterinary school.



Also Eponashoes.com
 
My then 14yo endurance Arab was diagnosed with bilateral navicular in 2004. The bone changes were too far advanced for him to continue to compete, but, once shod remedially, he was happy to hack out at any speed so long as it was soft ground for the next four years. I took the decision to retire him completely quite recently because he was increasingly unhappy going downhill; he's perfectly field sound and still gallops around with his mates.

As long as you avoid concussive surfaces my guess would be you could have years of hacking/dressage with your boy.
 
Thank you - it's so nice to hear that there might be a little light at the end of the tunnel then, and i guess the easier we'll take it now, the longer he'll be happy for :-)

Thanks also for the links - that research project looks very interesting and my boy does fit all of the criteria! Am also looking into the Epona shoeing too, do you know of anyone who has used these shoes with regards to navicular?

Thanks again for the replies :-)
 
I don't know anyone who has used the shoes with regard to navicular, although my farrier has recommended them for my horse.

I know someone who uses them for endurance. Her horse had 12 months of remedial shoeing, and veterinary treatment for foot lameness. At the end of it he was still lame in the field and vet suggested PTS,

As he was only 8 she decided to try the barefoot route. She had to remove the remedial shoes over 2 shoeing cycles so it wasn't a sudden change in balance. He then went to the barefoot trimmer (not sure which one ) and within a very short time he was being led out in hoof boots. He came back sound in a matter of weeks and soon back doing endurance (remember the vet wanted to PTS a few months before).
She found she couldn't do the endurance mileage barefoot, so now uses the Epona Shoes for competiting and has been very pleased with them as they seem to mimic the action of the barefoot horse yet give some protection.

I haven't found out what they are like on grass, mud yet so have no personal experiences yet.
 
Beat me to it
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but I'd second this. Nic and Sarah have had quite a bit of success with navicular rehabs.

Best of luck with him
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Oh fab, that's great. My biggest concern about the barefoot plan is that where we are it is very stony and from previous experience he does terribly when not shod. However if we could get the balance right and then mimic it with the Epona shoes we might be on to a winner.
This is looking more hopeful!
 
My vet recommended light work for the navicular horses, as it increases blood flow to the area. We used devil's claw to help with pain and inflamation, and had an excellent farrier who shoed for some extra support. Light work meant we did mostly off road work, and we did include a few canters as it is actually less concussive than trot. Good luck.
 
Hi Anna,

Its not quite the same but my horse has torn her DDFTs in both front feet, and her MRI scan was absolutely awful, much worse than I thought. The vet said she was unlikely to ever be sound again, and that she might be ok to be a light hack if I was lucky. There's a few posts I made about it on here as I thought it was the end of the world at the time and it was very upsetting.

2 months after her scan and with a full year of field rest behind her, I gradually started bringing her back into work. I am still taking it easy, and touch wood she has felt absolutely fine ever since. I'm only walking and trotting, and obviously I can't jump or gallop again but I am so surprised that she hasn't felt even slightly lame when ridden so far. Someone at my yard did see her hobbling slightly in the field one evening but I'm just seeing how she feels, she is dying to have a canter so she can't be feeling too bad.

I actually hacked out with another horse at the weekend who has progressive navicular, he too is only meant to walk and trot and seemed ok. You might be surprised at how many people don't want to go charging about on hacks, and are happy just doing walk and trot.

I know how awful it feels, at least mine is 14 but 6 is so so young for him to be written off completely. I really hope he stays sound enough for you to be able to enjoy him. As long as he's field sound and happy to pootle about thats the main thing. My mare was injured on loan so came back to me with her injury quite unexpectedly, but I am really enjoying having a second chance with her after 3 years on loan. It does mean that I can't loan her again as I was planning to because her prognosis is not good, and of course I'd never sell her now so it looks like she's with me for life.
 
Sounds very similar actually, insofar as the prognosis and the signs, if not the actual cause.
I'd be thrilled to just be able to walk and trot on hacks and I'm lucky that there are some such 'happy hackers' who do like to take it easy at my yard. It's funny watching my horse in the field though because he behaves as though nothing is wrong, but once he breaks back into trot from canter or gallop, that's when you notice it.
He's been off work on and off for the best part of a year and a half, but consistenly off since March. I'm not planning on even putting a foot in the stirrup until September, and that's only if he trots up sound for a full week beforehand!
It looks like my lad will also be with me for life, which - as with you - wasn't my plan, as I expected to loan him out when the time comes for kids, etc. At least now I know that I have to find an understanding husband though!
grin.gif

Thanks for giving me a bit of a boost though, it's nice to hear that someone else knows how horrible it is to read that MRI report!
 
I know it is crap! It took me a long time to come to terms with it. Theres a very low percentage of horses with DDFT tears who ever go back to what they were doing before, and I know Angel will not be one of them. I don't compete or anything so its not the end of the world, although I will really miss jumping as she was so great at it. It still seems very unfair, but Angel has just been unlucky. It makes you realise how fragile their feet are too.I can't afford 2 horses so if I want to jump or do fast work I'm going to have to borrow someone elses.

It was definitely not in my plan to have her back for a good few years, as I had just started a job in a different part of the country but I have really loved having her around again so there has been 1 good thing to come from it. Angel gallops around the field too like theres nothing wrong, and thats why some non-horsey people like my parents don't really understand how her tendons can be so badly damaged.

Good luck with yours, rest is the best thing for them so hopefully he'll be trotting up sound come September.
 
I'd recommend reading 'Feet First' by Sarah Braithwaite and Nic Barker too. With a healthy foot under him stones shouldn't be a problem. You could consider boots as an alternative when required.
 

I have a 9 year old mare with early stage navicular which was diagnosed by MRI. She was put on the calcium dobesilate drugs trial successfully but a recent mri has shown inflammation of the navicular bone again, so she's been treated with tildren.

That said, she is still eventing at intro/PN level and having a great time. She also showjumps and does dressage (reluctantly!). She is "pottery" on a circle on concrete, but my vet says most horses are so she will carry on in full work if and until she tells me she doesn't want to do it anymore. If you'd seen her fly round the xc at Mattingley at couple of weeks ago you'd never know
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.

It sounds like your horse is a bit further down the line than her, but if you know your horse they'll tell you what they will and won't do. I hope it's a good outcome for you.
 
Thank you everyone, it's so useful to hear different people's views and different ways of dealing with the problems.
I'm going to definitely read up about the barefoot possibility, and luckily I already have a pair of boots from when he previously had an abscess and was barefoot for 5 weeks (seriously, there's no ailment my horse hasn't had!)

As he is further along the line than some, I would imagine that it will be walking, trotting and the very odd canter as and when the ground permits, but of course I will be waiting for that duff stride to come back at any point, at which time it will all be re-evaluated.

I really hope for his sake that the light work keeps him sane and keeps his blood flowing to his extremities - I'd like to try him on Devil's Claw too, but at the moment he's on such a cocktail of drugs I feel it's probably best to keep it all to a minimum at the moment.

In the meantime, of course, I'll be inventing a bionic hoof which can be used in place of any dodgy real hoof, and will come in an array of colours. Get your orders in now!

On a serious note, thanks again for all your advice everyone :-)
 
With the devils claw, it takes about a month to take effect in the system - we introduced it alongside bute, altering the doses (vet advised) so the horses weren't without pain relief, so ask your vet's advice, but I personally wouldn't wait until he is off his prescribed meds.
 
Thank you - I'll mention it to my vet next week when he comes to check his progress. He should be off navilox soon, but at the moment with the navilox and a very strong joint supplement it's more a case of him actually not eating any of it and getting any of the benefits!
I think I'll order a supply anyway, so that as soon as I get the OK he can start.
 
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