Navicular and shoeing?

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horselover88

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A fellow livery mentioned to me the other day that her farrier had suggested shoeing her horse to limit the likely hood of it having navicular in later years, due to its uneven growth in front feet.

It has no current symptoms and is sound, however after arriving with very poor and badly shod feet, which have been barefoot for a year or two, it is clear to see that her horses front feet grow at slightly different rates, now that it is more healthy. Her horse is at risk of becoming long in the toe which I assume also leads to underrun heels, and then pressure/strain on joints and tendons is increased with further danger of injury? Horse is in good health and fit, a good doer, works well etc although could do with some more topline. It has recently had vet/back person out for check over and while some stiffness/soreness was found which is being treated, has no other issues.

My questions are:

1, is it possible for a barefoot horse to become long in the toe with correct trimming, baring in mind the rate of hoof growth and previously poor growth/horn?
2, Is it usually recommended that shoeing could help with navicular, and if so how?
3, Is Farrier correct in suggestion and is it better to make changes to prevent potential issues?
4, Farrier also commented that it would be beneficial to also back shoe due to the above reasons (horse has never had back shoes on), what do you think of this and how does it link to navicular/soundness?
5, Could any stiffness/soreness be likely to cause a difference in growth (common sense tells me yes, just like us wearing away a pair of shoes differently due to balance!)
6, How would you handle this?

Reason for question is to increase my own understanding and knowledge, and just because I am a bit curious! :)
 
1 Any horse can become long in the toe with under run heels but with correct trimming, diet and exercise it should be easier to correct or prevent barefoot than in shoes.
2 Most vets will recommend remedial shoeing for horses with navicular but I cannot see it being preventative, again barefoot works well to correct the inbalance.
3 My farrier would recommend shoes coming off if the toes are getting long as it is easier to keep them trimmed, work will usually keep the heels stronger and frogs doing their job.
4 Again my farrier is happy to keep a horse bare behind, I have 2 with just fronts on and they are absolutely fine that way.
5 yes underlying pain or discomfort can have an effect on the growth, they may grow a flare to compensate or wear unevenly but the pain could be anywhere, not just from the foot.
6 I would keep the horse barefoot, keep on top of the diet, trim regularly to make sure it does not get long in the toe, have regular physio checks and if the horse does not build up topline or is not responding well to the physio, if it is still sore and failing to improve, then get a vet involved to give it a thorough check.

I think the farrier may be in need of the work, luckily mine is so busy he is happy to just trim and advise when asked rather than giving unsolicited advice.
A read on the work done at Rockley, barefoot rehab for horses with many forms of foot pain will show how good it can be as most that go there have already been through the remedial shoeing stage and are basically written off, it has been the last chance for many of the successful ones.
 
I believe the prognosis for treatment of navicular with shoes is poor or guarded so I can't see how shoeing will work as a preventative measure.
 
I did wonder, and shared the same theory regarding long toes etc and shoeing for prevention. I have read the rockley blogs and am amazed how well they do with transforming these horses and their feet. Personally, I would want any farriers suggestions to follow similar understanding and knowledge to that of the staff there... I am off to investigate and read further to increase my equine vocabulary in the matter!
 
Most 'navicular disease' is either ddft damage or collateral ligament damage. Most ddft and collateral ligament damage inside the foot is caused by a weak back half of the foot. There is no easier way to create a weak back half of the foot than to take the frog out of contact with the floor by using shoes.

Shoes on a sound barefoot horse to prevent navicular? He's having a laugh, isn't he?
 
A horse can easily get long in the toe with bad heels BF if it's not doing enough work on abrasive surfaces and not getting enough good trimming .
 
Goldenstar said:
A horse can easily get long in the toe with bad heels BF if it's not doing enough work on abrasive surfaces and not getting enough good trimming .
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True, and Rockley sees an increasing number of horses which have become unsound while barefoot, including one I used to own and hunt, who simply did not get enough work in his new home to keep his feet strong.
 
cptrayes said:
True, and Rockley sees an increasing number of horses which have become unsound while barefoot, including one I used to own and hunt, who simply did not get enough work in his new home to keep his feet strong.
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Can I ask, with apologies for jumping in on the thread, as this is an aside, when you say not getting enough work to keep his feet strong, is that a general comment or with reference to a horse that had had problems? Purely out of interest, having just started my own horse barefoot.
 
peh1980 said:
Can I ask, with apologies for jumping in on the thread, as this is an aside, when you say not getting enough work to keep his feet strong, is that a general comment or with reference to a horse that had had problems? Purely out of interest, having just started my own horse barefoot.
Click to expand...

It's a general comment but it varies very much from horse to horse. That particular horse was sold to a child who could not give him much work during dark winter evenings. In addition to that he was kept on a livery yard where he was turned out only on every other day for a few hours and only then when the fields were dry.

This was quite simply not enough stimulation for his feet. His frogs and digital cushions shrank back over the winter, he was turned out one bright day in spring, went for a good hooley and pulled up lame with a collateral ligament strain, commonly diagnosed as navicular disease, as it was in his case. Leahurst gave this horse a twenty percent chance of returning to work. He was sound after less than two months at Rockley and has remained sound since.

A lot of barefoot horses need continuous work/movement to keep their feet healthy.
 
Thank you, that's really helpful. Just trying to get it right with my horse - he lives out anyway and is worked most days, but I hope I won't have to worry too much if he has more than a day off here and there!
 
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