Navicular again

[A1fie]

Hi I'm pulling my hair out again and feeling so despondent. Horse who I loan (never, ever again ) has navicular disease. He was barefoot for a year and it seemed to help him a lot. However when the ground turned harder he was shod again as he was clearly unconfortable on the ground. He was shod with NB shoes with pads on.

Initially he went well - he was happy to walk on the ground but within 10 weeks he started to stumble and trip, which he wasn't doing before. It got to the stage where he was tripping and stumbling every few minutes. I decided to get his shoes off.

They were taken off yesterday and of course he is now sore and won't walk on the ground - I am just measuring his feet for hoof boots, not sure which the best ones are but I have found a shop where they will let me trial some.

The farrier (who has been great btw) seems to think that he is tripping because he is putting his toe first not heel which is right, but he also thinks that taking the shoe off will not stop this, although he has added a 'breakover' point.

I took him in the sand school last night and although he didn't trip he did feel slightly lame in trot.

I am just at the end of my tether. It was the stupidiest thing I have ever done taking on a horse with problems. The farrier thinks that he probably has ringbone and arthritis as well. I know that I can hand this horse back but of course as most of you will know, it is so easy to become attached.

I don't even know what I am asking. I just don't know what to do for the best anymore with this horse. I have read so much about barefoot being better for horses with navicular that I really wanted to try it again, but it is so hard seeing him looking unconfortable again. I don't know why he is suddenly lame in trot and I don't know now whether it's better for him to wear shoes and stumble a bit or have no shoes and be footy for a while.

Sorry for the moan, I just feel so down about it all.

 

[TPO]

Wedged eggbars was the only thing that had my navic mare walking out heel first. She had these for 3 shoeings then normal/flat eggbars.

Being unshod didn't work for my mare at all, angle of the foot had to be altered (with wedges/eggbars) to relieve the pressure. I tried hoof boots too during our "barefoot" period and done everything to the letter for the whole "transition" thing but it just didn't work at all. I changed vet practices and having a new (excellent) vet explain everything to me and finally show me the x-ray plates (old vet didn't!) I can see the position of the cyst and understand why barefoot wouldn't/couldn't work in this particular case as she needs support.

This mare also has spavins/arthritis in her hocks. She's only shod in front but when fronts are sore it has a knock on effect. When she is comfortable in her fronts (with shoes) then it frees up her hocks. If that makes any sense. Mine is retired field sound though and is in now work at all, just living the life of riley.

TBH if I was you as heartless as it sounds I'd weigh up if I wanted/could afford to continue with a lame/navi/arthritic lame horse. If you do want to try again then I'd speak to vet (have you had x-rays done? Is horse insured?) and discuss options and prognosis. Is horse on any meds/joint supps etc?

If they are sore it will show in trot (and they may be very reluctant to trot) as they are diagonally loading and that hurts! They'd prefer to walk/canter.

My mare can never be ridden again, even though she is field sound and trots up sound. I don't know if that's something you'd want to take on with a lame horse. I'm lucky in that I can give my old mare a suitable home for life.

Don't blame you for feeling down! These past 2 yrs with said mare have been a nightmare of a roller coaster. "The appointment" has even been made and cancelled at the final hour as she started trotting soundly about the field with a spark in her eye and <touching wood frantically> she's never looked back since but it's down to an excellent vet and lots of management changes. Wishing you all the best and if you wish to pm feel free

 

[A1fie]

Thanks TPO - It's a really tricky situation. His owner is the YO and has lots of horses. I do not think she is willing or able to spend money trying to sort this out. She is not being horrible, but with so many of them I think her attitude is 'suck it and see' she took his shoes off and chucked him in the field for a year and that did help. That was when I came in, met him, started riding him and fell in love.

He is not insured. I have put him on alpha bute, move free and cosequin supplements. Also cider vinegar to help with the calcification. He is happy in himself and has greatly improved.

Trot has always been his worse pace and he does prefer to walk or canter. I never realised the significance of this.

Ultimately if he is cannot stay sound he will be put down - he is only 9 years old. I have him on diy at the moment and could not afford to keep a horse for the next 10 years, much as I'd love to. (If I had my own land I would)

I also would not take the chance on him being loaned as a companion - as I couldn't guarantee his future.

Thanks for the offer of the PM. I may take you up on it. It feels rubbish keeping saying the same thing over and over.

p.s He is my first horse and is the kindest sweetest thing I have ever come across.

p.p.s I like your siggy. My lad is in the army and I am wearing the wrist band.

 

[traceyann]

my horse has navicular and djd and collatral ligament damage the best supplement and does really help is recovery eq they have a web site but this is very very expensive i did take my horse of this for a week he went lame slighty but enough to prove this product does work and i agree with you barefoot is the best way to go but thats easy for me to say as my horse has very good feet that rock hard from naff is good but end of the day he not yours how far and how much are you prepared to go is down to you