Navicular changes, bone bruise, slight tear of DDFT

[Tacobell]

Hi All,
i am awaiting the official report but my horse went in for an MRI this morning, following an Xray that confirmed navicular changes. The MRI confirmed the navicular changes, a bone bruise (vet used a fancier description but simplified it as a bone bruise) and a slight tear to his DDFT
Vet has said field rest for 6 months with small wedges and pads to support the DDFT and navicular bone, after 3 months he will go barefoot to see how the foot shape changes and if that starts well. If he is coping and sound at the 6 months point, we will bring him back into work barefoot as he thinks this will encourage his upright feet to splay out and create their own digital cushion.
He is saying that if all goes well, with the correct management, there is no reason he wont return to his previous level of work (showjumping up to 1.10/1.15 predominantly on a surface), however, if not, he will return to some level of work.

Any experiences or guidance with the barefoot transition?

 

[Equi]

Get a decent remedial farrier for now and look into a decent barefoot trimmer who will work with them, vet and you for the future. Look at your diet now and take anything that won’t promote good feet out (ie anything sugary or too high in starch) and as much as reasonably practicable keep the hooves from getting too dry or too wet.

 

[Season’s Bleatings]

Not much to add from barefoot perspective but I’m in midst of rehabbing my horse from a similar injury so if you need any support just shout!

 

[Bonnie Allie]

Sounds like you have an enlightened vet. Well done. Rehabbing a similar issue ourselves.

Be prepared for some ups and downs. Soft ride hoof boots were our saviour. The high quality gel pads in them give good relief during transition. We were transitioning well with boots off during the day, boots on at night but then the ground became dry and hard causing a bit of discomfort so we are slowing the transition down a little.

We have been able to accelerate hoof growth and sole growth with a new veterinary approved hoof supplement But it means she needs trimming weekly as she grows so much so quickly.

 

[Tacobell]

extract from the MRI report





talking to my vet, he said about wedges for 3 months with pads and then go barefoot. however reading this makes me cautious of the wedges... do i go straight to barefoot?

 

[atropa]

No experience of taking a horse with this barefoot but my mare had a very similar diagnosis in 2017 and has been back moving up through dressage levels, hacking and having the occasional small jump since 2019.
Her treatment plan was very similar to yours except we didn't choose to take her barefoot at the end, however very many people have great success with rehabbing navicular barefoot. As someone else has said, be prepared for ups and downs but fingers crossed for you that your horse recovers

 

[Annagain]

Just thought you might like to read a semi-positive story.

My boy had a similar diagnosis (although no MRI, just x-rays) about 15 years ago. He had wedges fitted, 6 months in the field and then came back into work (we kept the wedges, things were different then). We didn't really jump again, just the odd log out hacking or a self imposed limit of 5 on fun rides - big enough to be worth it but small enough not to cause issues - but that was mainly because he never really enjoyed jumping and had to be ridden quite strongly to a fence. I couldn't keep doing that knowing it could be hurting him. We did the odd bit of flatwork but mainly hacked and he had a good 12 more years of relatively issue free work before retiring with coffin joint arthritis. We kept the wedges as they seemed to be doing their job but since retiring, we've taken his shoes off and his feet are soooooo much better. Whether they'd have stood up to any level of work we'll never know but he's pretty sound on them in the field unless it's very cold with frozen rutted ground.

 

[Tacobell]

thank you so much for your positive stories.
i just spoke to my vet again as i felt the mri report was contradicting itself with the shoeing. so we have agreed to take him barefoot! eek!

 

[SEL]

thank you so much for your positive stories.
i just spoke to my vet again as i felt the mri report was contradicting itself with the shoeing. so we have agreed to take him barefoot! eek!

See how it goes. My never been shod mare was suspected to have a similar injury (I couldn't afford to MRI so just x ray) and I left her barefoot and tbh I'm still not sure it was the right decision. For her it wasn't the angles of her feet or anything that was the underlying problem it was an injury from a deep surface that we didn't pick up quickly enough. My current farrier is incredibly pro barefoot but he says if she'd been under his care at the time he would have come up with a shoeing package to try and support her in her recovery.

I'm actually thinking of having shoes on her because boots are just too clumpy and I don't like where the breakover is.

But every horse is different so just pay close attention and if you don't think it is working then please don't get so bogged down in the 'barefoot is best' method that you won't change your approach. It didn't do me or my horse any favours.

 

[ponynutz]

No but there's a lovely girl on Instagram who went through this with her showjumper - she now does hunting and across country races (can't for the life of me remember what you call those). She quite often posts about her experiences and I'm sure she'd be happy to help via DM too.

@lily.equestrian on Instagram.

 

[Goldenstar]

This sounds like a good plan , and I hope you get a good result from it .
Please let us know how its going I would be really interested to hear .

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Hi All,
i am awaiting the official report but my horse went in for an MRI this morning, following an Xray that confirmed navicular changes. The MRI confirmed the navicular changes, a bone bruise (vet used a fancier description but simplified it as a bone bruise) and a slight tear to his DDFT
Vet has said field rest for 6 months with small wedges and pads to support the DDFT and navicular bone, after 3 months he will go barefoot to see how the foot shape changes and if that starts well. If he is coping and sound at the 6 months point, we will bring him back into work barefoot as he thinks this will encourage his upright feet to splay out and create their own digital cushion.
He is saying that if all goes well, with the correct management, there is no reason he wont return to his previous level of work (showjumping up to 1.10/1.15 predominantly on a surface), however, if not, he will return to some level of work.

Any experiences or guidance with the barefoot transition?

Funny enough I have been in this situation before, and my mare was nearly back to full time turnout ( Saturday), yesterday she came in hoping lame, damaged tendon again, the bottom of the DDFT, back to box rest again and the Collagen which I need to buy for the repairing. We were so close to turnout and poo hit the fan again. Really sad for this mare who has been a star while in box rest.

What started her lameness off was dental implant shoes with wedges too much pressure on the navicular bone caused DDFT tear.

 

[sbloom]

If for any reason you have to put shoes back on I'd not wedge, or generally use long term, any open heel shoe. Check out Mark Johnson - Another Way, UK farrier, and Progressive Equine Services in Oz, super interesting page, for better ways to rehab and wedge.

 

[soloequestrian]

I thought the whole wedge idea was totally outdated now, that they just put more pressure on sore bits rather than less? Have you read all the Rockley Farm stuff on their blog? And talk to YCBM, she has experience of this kind of thing. Did the vet explain how shoes would help? And did they suggest anything that shoes could do that boots wouldn't (possibly better)?

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Mine has a suspected DDFT injury - no MRI. My vet asked me to box rest for 5 months, with access to a small pen until the ground softened enough for her to go out into a bigger grassy pen.

We’ve just started turnout in her paddock and will build up to full turnout for the rest of summer.

She is barefoot, and she has had hoof boots in the stable.

She is looking absolutely super on a straight line and mildly lame on a circle the last time I checked which was Feb. I try not to check too often, as tempting as it is.

 

[Boughtabay]

Similar situation but navicular has quite significant changes (loss of cartilage and very rough surface) and horse had significant tear of DDFT at time of MRI.

Vet advised wedged shoes - farrier wasn’t keen & said we were just pushing the same issue further into the future but we did them for a while to allow the ddft to heal. Box rested with a lot of in hand walking (I also made her a small paddock because I hate stable rest ) and once she was sound again I took off the shoes and turned her out in gradually increasing sized pens (to allow the zoomies to die down). She’s sound now and does a lot of acrobatics out in the field but I’m not sure how she’d cope with hillwork (that’s what drew the issue out in the first place).

I could probably bring her back into work carefully but I did retire her instead & bought a baby horse - I couldn’t bear the stress of putting her through all that careful rehab just for riding and it potentially not working & having to PTS (I wouldn’t box rest again) . She’s sound as she is so I’ve left it at that now. Not exactly the story of good hope maybe BUT just shows that the farrier vs vet opinion was a bit split in this case

 

[Season’s Bleatings]

Our horse was advised wedges by the surgeon - started with a 3 degree wedge but to be reduced over time, now at 1 degree and will come out of them entirely before too long. We have been having regular hoof balance X-rays too, which has helped immensely.
Rehab is tough, it’s interesting to hear some of the other stories. We are taking it slow, currently doing walk work on concrete, working up to hacking and will stick to that for 3 months or so before we consider increasing the work.

 

[sbloom]

I thought the whole wedge idea was totally outdated now, that they just put more pressure on sore bits rather than less? Have you read all the Rockley Farm stuff on their blog? And talk to YCBM, she has experience of this kind of thing. Did the vet explain how shoes would help? And did they suggest anything that shoes could do that boots wouldn't (possibly better)?

Did you have a look at the farriers I mentioned? HOW wedges are done, with what sort of shoe, the trim, and the protocol moving forwards is critical. I am a big barefoot fan and at one point was very anti wedges in any circumstance.

 

[Tacobell]

yes, i definitely want to go barefoot. i just dont know whether to use a registered farrier or a barefoot trimmer. i just worry that a barefoot trimmer hasnt been through the same qualifications as a farrier?

 

[mustardsmum]

If it’s any help, we have taken our mare barefoot after having had wedges for two or three years post check lig injury and negative palmer angle discovered on X-ray. Recently she went barefoot as my daughter went to uni. We have just continued to use our regular farrier as he knows her feet. She is doing brilliantly- I worried taking the shoes and wedges off would see her sore and might end up with issues but six months barefoot and her feet have never looked so good. We do have boots for hacking but she’s sound with lovely feet.

 

[Zoeypxo]

You either need a good farrier who is pro barefoot or a good barefoot trimmer.

i use a farrier and i am happy with him, he is pro barefoot and doesn't push for shoes.
Someone else on my yard uses a barefoot trimmer and the ponies feet look pretty good and are functional

 

[sbloom]

yes, i definitely want to go barefoot. i just dont know whether to use a registered farrier or a barefoot trimmer. i just worry that a barefoot trimmer hasnt been through the same qualifications as a farrier?

Why not let us know where you are so people can recommend good practitioners? May need a new post.

 

[Tacobell]

Why not let us know where you are so people can recommend good practitioners? May need a new post.

will set up a new post. thank you!