I want to try barefoot for my Navicular Neddy

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Archie73

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And I'm bricking it!

Am thinking of doing it at home with equine podiatrist holding my hand.

Please can all you lovely barefoot brigade give me some encourgement and advice based on the below

Horse is 17hh warm blood lots of bone about 730kg

Is sound mostly apart from small circles on hard and after lots of schooling (which I don't do).

Can do anything fast in straight lines including jump and has even been Epsom gallops with no issues

Is not on any pain relief at all

Is fed top spec lite and handful Alfa a

Has pads on front about an inch and had done for over 2 years (no need to tell me bad side if pads please, I figured bell equine and farrier know more then me)

Is turned out in herd about 7 hours a day and is the liveliest horse in field.

Is ridden for about 6 hours a week

MRI showed damage to all ligiments ever put in a foot and mild changes to the distal border of the nav bone

But my horse that is ment to be on pain management is not and is sound and has been since before first tildren last June. Second one feb 6 this year.

If anything else will help you help me please ask!!!

Thanks in advance
 
Good luck and well done for taking the plunge :D

I'm part of the barefoot brigade I guess but I have a cob that in no way shape or form needs shoes. However, I have a close friend who has done the barefoot thing with both her TB's. Her mare came first and then later her gelding. The mare was off with tendon injuries, so the bulk of the transfer happened on box. But all I can say is Forageplus and mineral feeding has been a major key in the process and well worth the money. Getting the feed balancing right has helped hugely with the transition to barefoot. Deffo worth having a look at :)

Good luck and I'm sure your WB will love barefoot :)
 
Well, I think you are taking the right steps to helping him! just remember that barefoot is not the end-all and it takes lots of time, patience, perseverance and support in the early days. Do all you can you read up about it and get some good books on the anatomy of the foot and by farriers who have done this. Just remember that even when the foot changes and things improve, you may still need boots or shoes.

I think you are in good hands with a qualified EP or UKNHCP to help. I believe nutrition is a large part of their 4 year curriculum.

By navi and lami boy was helped to recover by an excellent EP. he was doing Xc again within the year.
 
What is making you want to make the change Archie73?

Your horse seems to be doing very well and I am intrigued why you would want to change the status quo. I would really like to know your motivation before trying to advise you.

The one thing I would say immediately is that I would be extremely cautious of removing one inch pads (do you mean wedges?) in one go, the change in the stresses on the tendons could be disastrous, especially in a horse who is "lively in the field".
 
[Content removed]. I will not be doing anything against professional advice.

In answer to you question navicular as I guess you know Is a degenerative disease therefore rather then wait until its too late and barefoot at the last chance, I would rather do it now and if it does not work for him at least I know. My farrier and vet agree on this and have explained we can go back.

I would not dream of ripping off his pads in one day but thanks for the advice.

The ep is coming to view X-rays and MRI so I will know more then.

I heard your horse had gone lame again and was with nic barker again. I have not had a chance to check but hope all is well with him now.
 
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Stay calm
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There are a few people on here who have rehabbed at home (as opposed to at Rockley) and it's perfectly possible to do so - just a little scary when 'you're on your own'.

Having someone experienced in rehabbing BF to hold your hand is always helpful.

Otherwise, just follow 'the rules of barefoot'
woot.gif
.

1) Diet - I don't care what it says on the tub or how good the blurb is...let the horse decide if his diet is right for him. If you are feeding the greatest and most expensive feeds in the world means nothing if it makes the horse sore. TopSpec isn't always successful with BF horses.
Low sugar/starch and balanced minerals has been found to work the best so far.

2) Movement - he needs to move. Turnout is fine in the beginning. Leading inhand on the road is another good one, anything within his comfort. Make sure he has no infection to his sulcus or anywhere else.

3) Trim - needs to be sympathetic. Less is more. If he is made uncomfortable by an over enthusiastic trim then he won't want to move as much...and his progress will stall.

4) Be patient. Trust the horse to fix his own hooves. Your job is to nurture and assist him. But he will do the fixing himself. They may look horrific at first. He may be up and down with his soundness for a few weeks. Just be patient and try to help him. However - he should NOT be dog lame or in pain. If he appears so, you need to re-evaluate. That's where an experienced helper comes in handy.

There are things you need to be prepared to do....

Invest in some boots if he needs them. I'd rather over protect at first, under saddle.
Overhaul his diet is needed - you'd be amazed how resistant some people can be to this. Myself included in the past :p.
Buy a new saddle
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. Some horses muscle up so much when BF...it's necessary:)

This is a horse from my yard who was successfully rehabbed at home under the guidance of our fab trimmer
http://www.progressivehorse.co.uk/html/shoko.html.

We have a support group just opened here
http://phoenixhorse.myfastforum.org/forum13.php&sid=21aa70f21216db12aa52e1f21b9fad6b
 
Oberon, thank you. well received advice. Feel free to add to it:)
I have a adjustable gullet saddle so phew for now.
Have you heard of a feed called simple solutions or similar? Apparently it is a good one for barefoot rehab?
I am really worried and I just want to make my horse as comfortable as possible for as long as possible and if I can do a few show jumps along the way that's amazing. My boy is rising 10 so too young to sit back and watch him waste.
 
The RM solutions is quite new and I don't know anyone who has tried it, so I don't know.
Some horses do OK on Soya....some don't.

If you have a sniff around the diet area on The Phoenix forum (I linked it on prev post) you will find someone who has tried it and can advise more.

The key is to rely on your forage, sunlight and the horse's internal bacteria to keep him healthy...and just balance your minerals to compliment.

Sometimes stripping it all down to basics is better for the horse, but he's the final judge.
 
My girl was diagnosed with navicular last year although very unusually there is no ligament damage. She's only had shoes on front for years and while I thought about BF I decided to stay with shoes.

I'm certainly not against barefoot although, I know how sore she is without shoes and hate to see her struggling particularly on the hilly, stoney ground where we are.

Like your boy she's on no medication, got small heel wedges and did have filler for a while.

The diet seems to be a critical factor for BF horses although I've never been quite sure why it's so different from when shod. I'm sure with help you'll make all the right decisions and he'll do fine. I look forward to hearing of his progress. :)
 
Tiffany said:
The diet seems to be a critical factor for BF horses although I've never been quite sure why it's so different from when shod. I'm sure with help you'll make all the right decisions and he'll do fine. I look forward to hearing of his progress. :)
Click to expand...

The popular theory is that shoes fix the hoof in it's contracted state (you can't shoe a horse while he is stood on the hoof - in it's expanded state) and the pinching of the corium has a numbing effect on the hooves (which is also why shod horses are found to have reduced circulation and growth in comparison to bare) and so the horse can't feel inflammation in the laminae as quickly.

Does that make any sense? (it's been a long day;))
 
My boy was 18 when I took his shoes off due to navicular getting worse. I was the only one on the yard going barefoot- and against my vet and farriers advice.
It was the best decision I made, his feet totally reshaped and I got another two years of riding him and off pain killers, before other health issues forced retirement.
You do need to learn lots, your learning curve will take off to new heights:p
Also, try to get in touch with other barefoot enthusiasts and friends so you can gain encouragement from them. Be prepared to grow a thick skin and stick to your aims to improve your horses life, despite what other non believers may say to you;)
Good luck
 
We went barefoot with our 8 yr old Warmblood mare a couple of years ago after she had been diagnosed with 'Navicular Syndrome' Working with the vet and farrier we had tried medication and remedial shoeing. After 8 months there was no real improvement so after vet and farrier coming to see her and again working together we agreed to give barefoot a try as we were planning to turn her away for the summer anyway.

To cut a long story short, after initial 'footiness' for about 10 days she has never had a problem since.

However, barefoot is not for all horses, some will be fine, others not.

Good luck
 
I have been in the BF crowd for about 6 months now, and my mare couldn't be better :)

MY mare used to have fronts on and I initially went to barefoot as last year her shod feet started to crumble as they got very dry, to the point where one fo the shoes fell off as the hoof had crumbled around it! Her backs were always perfect so I decided to give barefoot a go.
After about 1 week of "footiness" she was fine, she moved better and seemed much happier! by the next farrier appointment 6 weeks later they were in great shape. we were hacking for a good hour and a half on roads with no problems!!

A couple of months ago my horse was diagnosed with high Ringbone, Sidebones and DJD - a lot of horses with these problems generally go with remedial shoeing but my vet was so impressed with her feet he said to keep her barefoot as part of her new lifestyle (now we will be mainly hacking due this) and she is thriving and currently coming back into work with no problems, to the surpise of the vet :D

As some people have said, some horses adjust better than others, but as long as you go about it the right way I would definitely give it a go :D

Good luck!!
 
Archie73 said:
I will not be doing anything against professional advice.

In answer to you question navicular as I guess you know Is a degenerative disease therefore rather then wait until its too late and barefoot at the last chance, I would rather do it now and if it does not work for him at least I know. My farrier and vet agree on this and have explained we can go back
I would not dream of ripping off his pads in one day but thanks for the advice.

The ep is coming to view X-rays and MRI so I will know more then.

I heard your horse had gone lame again and was with nic barker again. I have not had a chance to check but hope all is well with him now.
Click to expand...

I've never had a horse with Nic Barker so he can't be there again :) A horse that I sold three years before was with her last year and sound in 4 weeks when a major vet hospital had practically written him off. The rehab I did for myself is stonkingly sound and hunted with my hunt a couple of months back and was bouncing like a spring lamb when I saw him last week :D


Hopefully you'll be in good hands with the EP and your supportive vet. You have a great farrier if he is prepared to shoe him with half height wedges while an EP is "interfering" with his client, giving advice on MRIs and xrays.

Your reasoning is sound, of course, and in fact I think you are probably lucky to have had no degeneration in his lameness with the wedges over time.

Good luck.




ps I don't use my forename on this forum, please don't use it again.
 
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Thank you for all your support and encourgement. I am seeing ep tomorrow and also forgot to mention that interestingly my farrier is also a natural balance bf trimmer and more recently as I found out yesterday a newly qualified EP!!! How lucky am I?!!!

CPT message received read and understood. Thank you for your valuable advice. Hopefully you will look out for updates if I'm not too depressed at the start!
 
Oberon forgot to say I have been quoting you all day about not shoeing a horse standing on its foot. That is seriously logical and even made sense to my non horsey bloke! Thanks again and please keep an eye out for me. 😄
 
The lady where I keep my 2 has a mare who had navicular. Horse was on 9 months box rest. The vets suggested PTS. She managed to get them to refer her to rockly. Said mare is now thriving, she is barefoot and her owner thinks that this has saved her mares life. Wishing you luck in your transition :-)
 
Archie73 said:
Oberon forgot to say I have been quoting you all day about not shoeing a horse standing on its foot. That is seriously logical and even made sense to my non horsey bloke! Thanks again and please keep an eye out for me. 😄
Click to expand...

Not my knowledge...just nicked off someone else ;)
 
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