Competing horse with navicular

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black_n_white

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Also posted in vet section but am interested to hear from peeps that compete so thought I'd get more responses in here.

My mare has been diagnosed with degeneration of the navicular bone on an MRI scan. The recommended treatment was Tildren, cortisone, short time in wedge shoes while the medication does its thing then return to normal shoes and bring her back into work.

I've only had her for 6 months. She's 9 years old and I plan to do low level eventing and riding club with her.

My previous horse also had navicular along with some other issues and I'm dreading the emotional rollercoaster of ongoing medication.

I've been doing a lot of reading around to assess my options and am contemplating taking her barefoot. I've read the Rockley Farm blog in its entirety and it makes a lot of sense. My vet is slightly skeptical but would support me if I decided to send her there. I am not sure if my insurance will cover it though so it might have to be a case of trying to transition her to barefoot at home.

I'd be interested to hear your experiences of managing a horse with navicular changes whether you went down the route of conventional medication or barefoot. What level of work did your horse return to and what ongoing management/ medication do they have.

Thanks!
 
Mine had navicular (identified by x-ray - slight degeneration on the navicular bone, likely soft tissue damage but we didn't MRI) and went to Rockley. He was sound within a few weeks and returned to full work. He's with a friend of mine now as I moved to Asia for three years, but he's in full work - up to five hour rides out 3-4 times per week - and also schooled to his old standard and above when he went to boot camp with our trainer! He's not had a lame day.
 
If you've had two horses with navicular isuues, I'd be looking at your farrier, sorry. If you don't want to go the barefoot route, consider Epona shoes. I've kept my eventer with serious hock issues completely sound, and competing to Novice standard, and her feet have improved markably. You can glue, nail, or glue and nail on, and I find they will go back on 2-3 times.
 
I rehabbed mine at home. Had a set back last year due to other issues but back on track now, feet look a million times better, she's moving better than ever and I fully expect her to be back jumping later this year. None of mine wear shoes now, all tb's, and all in work.
 
Have a chat with Nic/send the scan results if you can and any feet pics but I would strongly suggest going barefoot. It is usually doable at home although you don't get the head start that they do at Rockley it does then take a bit to get them sorted at home too, but I do think a good trimmer/farrier who understands the barefoot principles is good to have on board and support and advise along the way.
 
Thanks for the replies everyone. That's really useful.

Cundlegreen - Noted. Farrier is very well regarded and experienced remedial farrier but I am aware that 2 navicular horses in quick succession is starting to be more than a coincidence! The reading I've done in the last week has turned the little I know about feet and shoeing on its head. I've not heard of Epona shoes- will invstigate.

Good to know that people have rehabbed at home. Ester- It's the headstart and being in experienced hands that is the appeal with Rockley.

I am more and more leaning towards the barefoot option after hearing so many success stories. I know it will be a long and difficult road but I'm really looking to long term soundness rather than just medicating and carrying on for a quick fix. My vet is keen to medicate anyway even if we transition to barefoot so I think it will likely be a two-pronged approach but without the suggested remedial farriery!
 
Yes, first thing is to sort the diet out straight away, that costs very little.
Second thing is to buy a set of ear defenders [!] to protect yourself against those who think a set of wedges/heartbars will do the job.
Good luck. Personally, I think if you are keen to compete, the Rockley experience will do the job more quickly and you will have the best advice from Nic. Not all are success stories, but I think the chances with barefoot management has the best long term outcome.
 
Bonkers2 - what changes would I need to make to support barefoot as best as I can? Mare lives on fresh air. She's currently on haylage only. fed in a small-holed haynet. When she was in work I either fed Spillers or Baileys lo-cal balancer and a joint supplement (Feedmark) but stopped feeding any hard feed when she was on box-rest during the diagnosis.
 
Try this for a 16.00 TB type say 500kgs
Stabled 12/12

Soaked haylage/ hay ad lib [3 to 12 hours soaking to remove sugars]
25gms or more minerals
25gms salt
[You might want to go on to the summer mineral balancer from Progressive Earth or Forageplus. Replace minerals, but first month try Pro Hoof from Progressive Earth and introduce over 7 days
You can get a mineral made up to suit your forage, but this may not be useful if haylage is bought in rather than made from local fields.]
50gms of micronised linseed, more if back in work, great for skin and hoof and joint health.
Use a plain feed high in fibre such as non molassed sugarbeet [quickbeet 15 mins soak] or FastFibre to carry minerals.

Many feeds and licks contain molasses, this is to be avoided at all costs, even the sugars in grass are undesirable, but you have to weigh up the advantages of exercise. Avoid seaweed. Even chaffs may be molassed, and many barefooters avoid alfalfa as some are sensitive to it.

Regular exercise is part of the treatment, walking on the tarmac road will help with self trimming, you want to aim for self trimming. It will help if you can walk in hand barefoot at first, boots may be required, possibly boots with pads. Build up exercise steadily but do it regularly, short walks twice a day at first.
 
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Another that went barefoot via Rockley. Mine was sound within 8 weeks and we've not looked back. I'd not do anything differently if I had my time again.
 
I would absolutely take the shoes off. Horses have been walking on their own feet for years quite successfully. The whole barefoot thing seems complicated but its really not. I don't do anything special with mine, most of them only eat hay with or without grass depending on the time of year and have a mineral lick. Mine are all self trimming which is important for you to achieve with yours if you are going to copy the rockley model (and why wouldn't you, they are achieving amazing things).
 
I tried the barefoot route initially with my horse but eventually had to resort to wedge pads which was instant relief for her ..she stayed wearing them for the remaining 14 years of her life no problem although I was limited with certain things we competed bd absolutely fine. The major problem started when the hocks got arthritic later in her life x
 
black_n_white said:
Thanks for the replies everyone. That's really useful.

Cundlegreen - Noted. Farrier is very well regarded and experienced remedial farrier but I am aware that 2 navicular horses in quick succession is starting to be more than a coincidence! The reading I've done in the last week has turned the little I know about feet and shoeing on its head. I've not heard of Epona shoes- will invstigate.

Good to know that people have rehabbed at home. Ester- It's the headstart and being in experienced hands that is the appeal with Rockley.

I am more and more leaning towards the barefoot option after hearing so many success stories. I know it will be a long and difficult road but I'm really looking to long term soundness rather than just medicating and carrying on for a quick fix. My vet is keen to medicate anyway even if we transition to barefoot so I think it will likely be a two-pronged approach but without the suggested remedial farriery!
Click to expand...

To give you some idea....
http://i714.photobucket.com/albums/ww146/cundlegreen/DSC_1146_zps52jr6pci.jpg

http://i714.photobucket.com/albums/ww146/cundlegreen/DSC_1145_zpstby9abhw.jpg
 
i think the bf massive tend to be against medicating. For franks issue medicating the coffin joint with steroid and ha did make h more comfortable but the effect didn't last. He had a second treatment just before his shoes came off though and am not sure 2 pronged approaches are wrong. The only downfall I can see is if you make horse too comfortable that it does more than its feet are ready for.
 
Thanks for all the replies.

I'll have a look into the feed and pro Earth supplements.

Leg-end- I've been reading your blog! Love your horse and it's been great to read about your progress. Very inspiring!

Ester- very good point about medication relieving pain to the point I risk her doing too much. Will discuss with vet. Thanks.
 
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unless the farrier shoes to x rays then it would not be fair to blame him unless the horses are shod very toe long and heel short. I have horses for fifty years and thousands are shod and most don't get navicular no matter how they are shod. One tip a very good vet gave me years ago was to buy a horse that walked like a west indian not a horse that walked like an english gentleman. good sound advice the looser mover always has less problems with its feet as the concussion is spread throughout the frame of the horse. Have twenty odd horses and three with navicular and I do use them, they have all showjumped, the three lame ones all had less spring in their lower leg. one improved immensely by being shod to x rays which enabled the farrier to design shoes that allowed him to move very freely. He was very lame up on his toe at one point and the outlook was bleak. the externals of his feet did not co-incide with the internals of his feet and a very small imbalance in the pedal bone has a dramatic effect on the function of the feet. i would always have them shod to x rays now if there are off strides or imbalance on turns and hopefully head off any lameness. good luck with your horse and hope you find a solution. Medication to me is a last resort.
 
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