De-nerving, anyone had it done?

[Bikerchickone]

A friend and I were talking about this the other day in relation to a young horse we know who has fantastic breeding but also has a lameness issue. Our conversation made me curious to know if anyone has any experience of this that they'd be willing to share?

Despite the obvious advantage of being able to work the horse we were concerned about early warning of things like abcesses occurring.

Before anyone gets emotional one way or the other this isn't a decision for me or my friend to make about this horse, we're just interested. Thanks in advance for your comments.

 

[AMH]

If it allowed a horse to be pasture sound, then I could see a place for it, but not for animals still in work.

 

[Kelly1982]

I would be very wary of doing this as like you say it could mask various other issues.

Think if this was an option then I would be thinking long and hard about it and reading up on it so I knew all the facts before making any decisions as never had experience of it before.

 

[Bikerchickone]

We've not had any experience of it either hence the question. I don't know if I would consider it as an option for one of mine but then I suppose it's easy to say that until you're in the position where it's suggested. Thanks both of you for the comments though x

 

[Goldenstar]

a SJ I worked with abroad was denerved I did not have much to do with her after but she got relief fron the discomfrot and I know her rider hacked her after I don't think she completed again certainly not a a high level
Do they also do a form of denerving for some types suspensory problems ?

 

[Bikerchickone]

I'm afraid I don't know very much about it at all. Was just curious about it, as I don't know of anyone who's done it. Also just wonder if it's something that would have to go on the horses passport etc, otherwise how would a potential buyer know or not as the case may be?

 

[cptrayes]

Poke something sharp into the digital cushion between the bulbs on the back of the foot and you'll soon see if it's been denerved in the back half of the foot. Don't stand behind the horse They also denerve for proximal suspensory desmitis, which is a problem at the top end of the suspensories, often in the back legs, and often on horses with spavins in the hocks.

A vet on here once told us that denerving for PSD was OK because it is a mechanical pain, in other words nothing is being worn more or getting any worse without you knowing. I would also consider denerving for arthritis in the foot, but not for any soft tissue damage in the foot, because it won't stop the damage, it will just get worse and worse

I'd be reluctant to denerve at all, because it often grows back again, but I guess it depends how desperately you want to keep the horse alive/in work.

 

[charmeroo]

My horse was denerved following PSD and I was warned that the nerves could rejoin themselves. And yes this has happened although I was told that could not be guaranteed either way. In any event - I took the chance and it didn't pay off. Having said that, my big boy is in gentle hacking work which he really enjoys. He has a good hooley in the field which I can do nothing about but ridden he has controlled exercise. The problem with PSD is that the fetlocks drop putting more and more strain on the tendons and ligaments.