Landing Toe first..

[pistolpete]

My horse is in egg bar shoes for navicular syndrome diagnosed last March. Have explored barefoot, not an option for this lad. Farrier noticed yesterday he is landing toe first again in front. I wonder if this is the start of him having more problems? Anyone out there whose horses land toe first and continue to stay sound and do well?

 

[pines of rome]

My boy was in eggbars for his navicular, they only helped for a short while!
He also landed toe first, we have gone barefoot for the second time and he now lands heel first!
My horse had the most awful feet and paper thin soles, so barefoot has not been an easy option, he was turned out in boots for a long time while those soles thickened up, but he does have some decent looking feet now, if I had carried on with the eggbars they would have just got worse!

 

[abailey]

My horse is in egg bar shoes for navicular syndrome diagnosed last March. Have explored barefoot, not an option for this lad. Farrier noticed yesterday he is landing toe first again in front. I wonder if this is the start of him having more problems? Anyone out there whose horses land toe first and continue to stay sound and do well?

I've been barefoot for nearly five months now (navicular )...not an easy option and takes allot of work...why is barefoot not an option? Most vets would agree that bar shoes/wedges etc are only a temporary 'fix' (once you research these methods you'll wish you hadn't bothered).

My 6 yo TB's feet were truly dreadful, she has very poor confirmation to boot!! We are seeing some improvement now and I believe it'll work out in the long run.
What is his diet/turnout etc?

Ax

 

[abailey]

My boy was in eggbars for his navicular, they only helped for a short while!
He also landed toe first, we have gone barefoot for the second time and he now lands heel first!
My horse had the most awful feet and paper thin soles, so barefoot has not been an easy option, he was turned out in boots for a long time while those soles thickened up, but he does have some decent looking feet now, if I had carried on with the eggbars they would have just got worse!

Sounds like mine..how long before you saw a real change to total soundness?
x

 

[pines of rome]

It has been a year now and he is much happier, he does not stand and point anymore, but I am not expecting him to be completely sound as he has some arthritis in his pastern joint as well!
But considering a year ago I thought he might have to be pts, I am happy that things are improving!

 

[charliejet]

My horse doesnt have navicular but had heel pain and I went with the Vet and farrier down the egg bar and gel shoeing route and she was much improved to start but gradually started getting more and more toe first and tripping. I went against my farriers and vets advise and went barefoot, 4 months in and a lot of hard work and she is improving so much I am so glad I have I am not ruling out shoeing again but I would always now let the feet have a break from shoeing in the future.

 

[Orangehorse]

Boots with thick pads inside can be used as a halfway house between shoes and barefoot. As the horse is comfortable and their sole is protected, they can more quickly start to use their foot correctly and build up the strength in the back part of the foot.

Like any sort of new way of going - don't put boots on and go for a 2 hour ride. They must be used to having them on and it will be affecting the rest of the limb too, so start off with only a short time of wearing them and only gradually increase the time. Getting them on can be a real faff and struggle to start with, but it improves with practice.

Actually, walking in hand with the pads taped to their feet is also a good way to get them started.

It is hard work for the owner, but it is astonishing to see how quickly their feet alter and grow differently.

 

[amandap]

This article might answer your question about long term toe first landing and navicular. http://www.hoofrehab.com/NavicularSyndrome.htm

 

[cptrayes]

Have explored barefoot, not an option for this lad.

Can you tell us why?


If your vet or farrier have given you reasons, please don't answer this unless you want us to give you advice that may be different from theirs.

It may, however, be the only way to keep your horse sound if he is toe first landing again in bar shoes.

 

[mightymammoth]

Have had eggbars for thin soles abd underrun heels but would never do it again. I found they just masked the problems, he was pulling them off almost weekly along with lots of hoof wall and they were £90 a shoeing(cheap I think to what some pay for them) That coupled with recurrent abscess and being told by people I respect that I was heading for navicular I took them off and have started from scratch. He is now unshod. Still got a long way to go but each time the trimmer sees him he is improving

 

[Oberon]

My horse is in egg bar shoes for navicular syndrome diagnosed last March. Have explored barefoot, not an option for this lad. Farrier noticed yesterday he is landing toe first again in front. I wonder if this is the start of him having more problems? Anyone out there whose horses land toe first and continue to stay sound and do well?

I think it's helpful to understand why the horse is toe first landing and where the diagnosis of navicular syndrome comes in.

In basic terms your horse has poor development and pain at the back of the hoof. This is the frog, heel area and internally the digital cushions and lateral cartilages - this has a knock on effect with the tendons and ligaments around the hoof.

A shod hoof (that is unhealthy) will often show a weak and wimpy frog that never touches the ground and a contracted and weak heel that will often run under the horse.

Because of this weakness at the back of the hoof, the horse will automatically put more weight on the toe instead - hence the toe first landing.

This leads to inappropriate leverage to the tendons and ligaments and strain to the navicular bone that is the lever for the DDFT.....hence the diagnosis of Navicular Syndrome.

The principles behind remedial farriery for Navicular is to shoe with an all round shoe in order to provide 'support' for the heel. Egg bars are the traditional (but now pretty much obsolete).

The principles behind rehabing barefoot is to remove all barriers and allow the frog to touch the ground again. When the frog is healthy, the rest of the hoof and foot follows every time.

Although most vets and farriers are still very much invested in remedial farriery over barefoot still, the accepted fact (as seen in Hickman's Farriery 1994) is that frog pressure is essential to hoof development in cases where contraction or Navicular is at play. Hence the movement from egg bar shoes to heart bar shoes with frog support.

I might suggest looking at changing to a shoe with frog support - heart bars, Imprint type shoes etc.

Another option may be to take a period of time barefoot with boots etc and then re shoe when the hoof has had some time to remodel - if you wanted to explore this option, then I am more than happy to help you with this.