Horse has been Diagnosed With Navicular and Ligament Damege

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alfieharry

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Hello!

My horse was diagnosed with the above by Belle equine in Kent via an MRI, Alfie has been on box rest for 4 months and is now aloud too go out in a small paddock, I am wondering what approches people would take to bring back to work, I do not want to rush anything, I would like to know other peoples thoughts and experiances, I am walking him out and he seems okay little stiff but understandable. He has been a great paitant very easy to deal with. it was the Collateral ligament left fore and both feet with Mild/Earley Stages Navicular.

Thanks

Michelle xxxx
 
Michelle take a look at Rockleyfarm.blogspot.com and rockleyfarm.co.uk Most of the horses that have been rehabbed there have a similar diagnosis to yours. The vast majority of them return to full work, a far higher proportion than return to full work with the treatment that your vet is advising for your horse.
 
I was hoping this thread would burst with lovely positive stories about this issues OP is having. I'm having the same ones so would be following with interest! Does anyone have any other experiences to add? Success stories? I've read the Rockley blog and it's great and very inspiring. However, there is no way I could send my horse there :(
 
PiggyB said:
I was hoping this thread would burst with lovely positive stories about this issues OP is having. I'm having the same ones so would be following with interest! Does anyone have any other experiences to add? Success stories? I've read the Rockley blog and it's great and very inspiring. However, there is no way I could send my horse there :(
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Do you mean financial restraints or other reasons?
There must be ways to replicate the things Nic is doing, just not as easy as sending your horse to a place where things are already set up, and the expertise is on hand.
For example where I used to keep pony there was a lane with a stone track and muddy sides, lined with grass and hedge rows with horses in neighbouring fields, I put my boy in there for a few hours per day when he was transitioning, if I wanted I am sure I could have put down a few areas of pea gravel and so on, fed some hay and he would have been perfectly happy.
There was good tarmac road he could have been walked out in hand for an hour every day.
 
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Yeah I was hoping for a few more ideas, that yard you have recommended sounds great. I however would sort of like to try and do it myself, I have had my horse for 7 years now and I have been through so much with him I couldnt bare to have him away from me. Any ideas would be greatful. I think what that farm does is remarkable and if I have any future problems then I would have have to think it through for the best of Alfie. I am just slowly walking him out now and so far he has been okay not riding yet but he was only lame in trot and that was 8/10 lame so hopefully he has recovered from the ligament, obviously I can not cure his navicular but I would like to prevent it from getting worse.

Thanks xxxxx
 
I have a fairly positive 'navicular rehab at home' story :)

Mare was worked up for 'loss of performance' in Feb, she had be getting difficult to ride and her jumping had deteriorated, long story short her nerve blocks pin pointed her hooves, xrays were clean, couldn't afford an MRI but feet were awful, no heels, long toe, flat footed. Vets diagnosed soft tissue damage, I pulled shoes - she has always been a horse who acted like she lots a limb if a shoe fell off - and got a good trimmer on board. Her diet was already good, added the required vitamins and started walking in hand on concrete, and walking, and walking. 2 trims saw her feet beginning to look like feet :) 8 weeks in she was completely sound on concrete in walk and trot, even on circles and was walking in hand round the school/going in the walker. My Vet was really pleased with her and commented that the quickest way to 'sort' front feet is always with the shoes off, it's just a lot of work for the owner.

We went through the footy stage and she was walking over gravel and stones happily. I had already planned to put her in foal this year so once she was sound she was covered and turned away. She is still sound and her feet are unrecognisable from what they were. I have no doubts that if I hadn't covered her I'd be back on board and would have been working her as normal all summer and would not have put shoes back on her.

Good luck to those with similar issue - keep an open mind, I would have called you mad if you had suggested this treatment for my girl a year ago but having now been in the situation I'm really glad I tried it over drugs and wedges nd all sorts of other things that were offered.
 
I couldn't send my horse there both for financial and logistical reasons. The work they do looks fantastic though.
 
I transitioned my horse myself, I did it a year ago now and last week she was diagnosed with the startings of navilular in LF. She also has ringbone and DJD in RF and sidebones in both.
She is totally sound and has astounded the vet as she is in full work. At the beginning of the year he said she would be no more than a light hacking horse ;)I found her to be much much better barefoot and in full work. Box rest is the last thing I would do in my personal situation as I think movement is the key!

Vet now wants her in wedges and natural balance, have told him no as myself and my farrier are much happier with her barefoot and she is 100% happier too :D

To do the transition at home isn't too difficult if you ave a good farrier/trimmer, and have the diet sorted. My mare goes on any type of ground now without a problem!! Shoudl also probably as she is a TB :p
 
alfieharry said:
Yeah I was hoping for a few more ideas, that yard you have recommended sounds great. I however would sort of like to try and do it myself, I have had my horse for 7 years now and I have been through so much with him I couldnt bare to have him away from me. Any ideas would be greatful. I think what that farm does is remarkable and if I have any future problems then I would have have to think it through for the best of Alfie. I am just slowly walking him out now and so far he has been okay not riding yet but he was only lame in trot and that was 8/10 lame so hopefully he has recovered from the ligament, obviously I can not cure his navicular but I would like to prevent it from getting worse.

Thanks xxxxx
Click to expand...
The ideas are all on the Rockley farm site, but you need to spend several hours on that site, and the forum [archived], until you have a lightbulb momnet. Then thinking overall about the barefoot regime, and how to translate it to your circumstances.
On this site [HHO] the discussions have taken up many many hours , occasionally to the point of antagonism, but one thing is clear, there are horses in work that were going to be pts, and there are horses where the vet has advised shoes, and this has not worked. You have to realise that the Rockley farm rehabilitated horses were often at the end of the road, and some are even vet referrals, so it is not some quaint little idea dreamt up by a couple of fluffy bunnies.
You will need to self-educate on re-hab and on navicular syndrome , all the info is available nowadays, but there is no pill or potion or fancy shoeing going to sort this out for you.
The horse will have to be managed 24/7, making sure he is getting the correct diet, correct trimming, and correct exercise.
The Rockley Farm site has made tracks and yards with a variety of comformable surfaces for the horse to walk on, this is essential, box rest cannot go on forever, it is not fair on the you or the horse.
You and your vet shold have a discussion about the ligament and how it is currently affecting the hhorse, you have two problems, are they related, I would want to spend a bit of time discussing with the vet as he obviously should have the most intimate knowledge of the condition he is treating. I think that may be why you are not getting the responses you are looking for, in that no one can offer direct veterinary advice on a forum.
 
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