Navicular Horses - What do you do with Yours?

3Beasties

3Beasties

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As title really? Are you still able to ride them? Compete? Jump?

My 16 year old TB has just been diagnosed with Navicular in both fronts (mild in one, much worse in the other). Treatment has begun this week and the Vet is hopeful he will come sound (currently lame on the worse affected hoof) and should still be ridable but I'm worried about how much (or little) I'll be able to do with him even if he does come sound!

(Disclaimer - I realise all cases/horses differ so can't base what I do with my boy on what you do with yours and will obviously follow my vets advise about the matter when the time comes!)
 
Long story short my lad has been branded as having navicular syndrom, not actual navicular but as the radiographs came up with him having a slight change in the pedal bone the old vets had to brand him with it. When i got him i checked everything with my farrier and my current vet, looked at radiographs etc and they said just be sensible, dont work too much on hard ground, no jumping on hard ground but remember to keep up the exercise as this helps blood flow. You can still hack etc with him just be sensible about how much you do and what you do. Also (and i may get shouted down about this) glucosamine and msn are meant to be very beneficial in lubricating and rebuilding the affected areas to some degree- they're not a cure. I use aviform suppliments- gold something or other- and find they're really good on recommendation of my vet. hope i've helped!
 
My TB has navicular, he was diagnosed just over a year ago. He still competes, jumps, schools etc. It hasn't really affected him in anyway apart from I have to be careful if the ground is very hard and he now has eggbars in front which seem to help him. :)

Its not always a death sentence nowadays thankfully.
 
Friend of mine had a horse diagnosed navicular - and sent him to barefoot rehab at Rockley farm - now he is a normal horse again, occasionally wearing hoofboots for roadwork in summer because he gets sore feet from the grass.
I'v heard so many similar success stories on here due to barefoot rehab/barfoot route.
Good luck - check out the Rockley farm website
 
my 17 year old highland x shetland has navacular and i still ride him 4 hrs a day out hackin n he competes in xc n sj we giv him herbal bute n ready grass after he is riden xx
 
Thanks guys, nice to hear some positive stories, where all these horses lame when they were diagnosed?
 
Mine was lame for over a year and was still lame after adequan, tildren, hyaluronic acid and bar shoes. He had damage to the navicular bones in both front feet.

I took his shoes off and did a barefoot rehab and now he does absolutely everything any other horse can do. He's been totally sound for more than a year now.

He had feet so soft that I could bend them with my fingers and soles 3.5mm thin. It can be done, even with a horse with very poor/flat/soft/thin-soled feet.

Take a look at rockleyfarm.blogspot.com and rockleyfarm.co.uk for more inspiration.
 
My Tb was diagnosed 3 years ago, took him barefoot and he's just coming back into full work but thats through other problems and not his feet.
I have a 14yo warmblood mare who was on the verge of PTS, she was out hunting a year later and my friend had an appaloosa who was also on the PTS list - he was very lame and has been a tough one but he's walking out now - although he seems to think he should be doing far more than that!! lol
 
Mine has navic in both fronts, d.j.d and an old fracture in her shoulder, she has remedial shoeing and is in full work and competing at dressage.
I have also done long distance rides recently and holidayed with her.
I have to be very very careful with downhills, stoney or hard ground but other than that she is by far stronger and sounder than when she was out of work which she was for some years after being diagnosed and nobody has ever ever commented on her soundness when Ive been doing anything with her.
I was advised to pts when she was diagnosed and I thank god I didn't listen, because she is the most amazing horse I have ever had!
 
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