Has anyone had a horse/pony with navicular?

[Jellybean147]

My 10 yrs old tb girl has been diagnosed with navicular she can only be lightly ridden. I wouldnt dream of giving her up!. and i just get so so upset when people say they wouldnt touch a horse with navicular with a barge pole, these animals done choose this syndrome and some go on to leading happy lives. My girl is my everything and i do admit its so hard coping when she gets lame or stiff when she comes out the stable or even trips walking heel first but ino shes not in a large amount of pain due to the correct care and stuff so i wouldnt dream of having her pts till i knew it was time. but i would love to hear people stories with it all as its been hard and had no one in a similar situation to talk to! please no nasty comments because if you knew ( people who dont understand navicular ) you wouldnt dream of saying anything nasty.

 

[Tinypony]

You could Google Rockley Farm and read about the work done there, that's positive stuff and encouraging.

 

[Farma]

Mine was diagnosed 11 years ago and has been managed with remedial shoeing, she went for x rays to check up last oct and there had been no degeneration whatsoever. She was lame at the start but with the shoeing has now come sound and is in full ridden work and competes regularly, I find going downhill is difficult for her and Stoney ground is also no good for her. Other than that you would never know and I wouldn't trade her for anything, she is the best horse I have ever had!
All horses cope differently and there are alot of choices and treatments for navicular now so I would read up as much as you can and then you can make an informed decision.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

One of my liveries has navicular , he is almost 30 years old.

He has special shoes, does not canter on hard ground, is ridden at least 5 times a week, has gone on several long hacks including newforest holiday.

He is on no bute at the moment but is on flexijoint and glucosomine . he gets a little pottery sometimes thats all.

 

[pinkpixie]

Hi
I was devastated when my pony was diagnosed last year, the vet gave cortosteroid injections in his feet and recommended corrective shoeing. He told me to prepare for the worse and said i would have the summer with him at best. Before all this he had turned from a lovely freindly boy to really grumpy and miserable because of the pain.
Well he is still going strong (fingers crossed) is on one bute a day which i am thinking of stopping and trying some supplements instead. He struggles on hard ground, I never trot on the road (well not intentionally ) and i make sure he gets out as much as possible which isnt easy as yard is a mud bath. Apart from that i ride him as much as i have always done and he is quite happy to charge round on the moors and do dressage.
The research i have done seems to support keeping them moving as much as possible to keep the blood flow in the feet.
I have learnt to listen to him and when he is pottery to take it easy I believe i will know when the time is right.
Good luck with your girl i know a lot of people support the barefoot route but it wasnt for us although i can see the logic behind it. People told me to have him denerved but again that wasnt a route i was comfortable with.
I know what you mean about people not understanding many believe its a death sentence and i should cut my losses but he is fine at the moment.
x

 

[maggiesmum]

Seeing navicular as a death sentance is a view based on conventional treatment. You're unlikely to find many barefoot people who see it that way, my Tb being diagnosed with navicular was one of the most positive life changing things that happened to me, its set me on a journey that is fascinating and enlightening although a little frustrating at times!
I totally understand the heartache and devastation on hearing the diagnosis, I'd seen it before in other horses so I knew following the vets advice of remedial shoeing would probably give me a couple of years then he'd either be pensioned off into a field or PTS so I looked for alternatives, my friend had a barefoot TB so I thought i'd give it a go and we've never looked back!

My only advice is to keep looking at alternative treatments, barefoot is very successful in lots of horses and as scary as it may seem you always have the option of re-shoeing if you're not comfortable with it.