Navicular opinions please

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superpony

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I have a 9 year old ex-racer who I bought 2 years ago to compete and have fun on. Was going very well and had no problems until he suddenly starting being very naughty to hack, tried to work through it and then this behaviour started in the school. He'd refused point blank to go forward, go backwards, sideways, buck and rear, generally anything to not go forward.

After checking the usual teeth, tack, back, I had the vet out to see if they could pinpoint what was wrong. Turns out he was slightly lame on a circle, so he went off to the vets for a day for a lameness work up and they found he had navicular. :( Assured not the end of the world and could work through it.

So came home had abit of time off, given a bute a day (and is still on this) and has eggbar shoes on. Started riding him after a few weeks then back to the lovely willing horse he was.

He was reshod on Thur am and was slightly lame afterwards, he was also abit naughty to shoe for his front feet. But he semed fine Fri morning so decided to still have my lesson in that evening.. well he was ok for a few laps of the school and then decided he didn't want to know and all the old behaviour came back! Called it a day as he didn't want to know, trotted him up etc.. didn't see obviously lame but he is a real wimp if theres a little bit of pain.

As it was raining and there were poles out in the school on fri (which he finds v exciting!) thought i'd just try him Sat to see if he was any different. He was as good as gold for 10-15 mins then again he had a massive tantrum and could do nothing with him after that.

Opinions? Does anyone think its his navicular? Any suggestions? I've tried getting after him - but don't want to be too hard on him as its totally out of character for him - he does get excited but more forwards than backwards! Its also obviously hard ground in the fields so maybe that is hurting his feet but it is a super surface in the school. Any suggestions? Hoping the navicular is not worsening already as already have one lawn mower and could do without another!!!

Thanks for reading and sorry for the essay!
 
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Just sounds identical to my horse, I've managed through it for nearly 6 years - go through phases of good then go back to square one - he only gets worked a couple of times a week. Hasn't been on bute regularly since a few months after diagnosis however has had the odd week of bute this year to make him more comfortable.
 
Even ex racers with poor feet who "could not possibly work without shoes" can usually have their navicular syndrome resolved with a barefoot rehab. Check out rockleyfarm.co.uk and rockleyfarm.blogspot.com They don't have to go to Rockley, I have done one myself, but both those sites are a wonderful source of information.

Yes, I think your horse is unhappy on his feet again, the disease is generally progressive unless they go through a barefoot rehab which generally resolves the problems for good and returns them to full work.
 
cptrayes said:
Even ex racers with poor feet who "could not possibly work without shoes" can usually have their navicular syndrome resolved with a barefoot rehab. Check out rockleyfarm.co.uk and rockleyfarm.blogspot.com They don't have to go to Rockley, I have done one myself, but both those sites are a wonderful source of information.
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Absoloutley - my friend has a horse who was written off with navicular and sent to barefoot rehab (same one I think) he is now doing lots of hacking, on roads, stony ground, and fun rides etc..she said she would never have a horse shod again!
 
Sounds exactly like my boy too - he's a poppet when he's feeling OK (albeit spooky!), but a nightmare when he's not. I've given up even attempting circles, and hack only when the ground is good (i.e. not rock solid). Having said that he's now lame on the back end - from an unrelated injury - so putting more weight on his front end and making that worse. I'm thinking I might give up soon and just have a lawnmower! (he just turned 8).

You may find that the hard ground is the issue at the moment (if you're in the South). Don't despair till the ground softens up as navicular is really aggravated by concussion.

If it helps, my chap wears aluminium wedge shoes, which are lightweight and don't have the issue of being pulled off by over-reaching as egg-bars do. Vet has agreed to hold off bute on a long-term basis until we think it's really really necessary, although he has been on it recently what with the double lameness.

I'm really sorry you have been inflicted with this, but it IS possible to continue working (and even competing) your horse with the correct management - shoeless if it works for you, although I know it wouldn't with my horse. Perhaps see if you can have an MRI scan so you can see the extent of the damage/ degeneration?

Fingers crossed for you!
 
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