Navicular - Please help

[lee30]

My horse which I bought this year, unfortunately was diagnosed in 2005 with advanced navicular which was not disclosed when bought, she is now retired from work and is on 1 sachet of bute per day. What am I to expect. What will eventually happen to her and how will she be? I feel so sorry for her. Does anyone have a horse with navicular and what are your experiences?

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Oh dear. Hopefully lots of people will reply with happy stories of how remedial farriery has helped enormously. But equally, this could be really bad news. How old is horsey-o? How attached are you (probably a silly question)? You should be able to return the horse. My 20yr old was eventually diagnosed with navicular syndrome and advanced djd. Not a good outcome but he was 20 so if your horse is younger she may be able to be helped.

 

[brightmount]

Hopefully I can encourage you with a positive story, although you don't say if your horse has navicular syndrome (more general involving soft tissue) or navicular disease (affecting the bone).

My horse had a combination of both, revealed by MRI. As we were running out of ideas, we took the step of having her shoes removed and followed the programme recommended by a respected Equine Podiatrist who was a regular on our yard. He had had an impressive track record of rehabilitating navicular cases, and we are pleased to be another of his success stories. The horse is completely sound and in normal work.

Equine Podiatry addresses navicular syndrome by restoring the balance of the foot and stimulating the blood supply to heal injured soft tissues, such as ligaments and tendons which take unnatural stresses when the foot is out of balance. Putting the foot back into balance and stimulating circulation also has a positive effect on navicular disease. Whilst not "curing" it, it alleviates the symptoms.

This approach could be worth considering for your horse, but I have been fortunate to have one of the UK's best EPs serving my area, it can be a bit of a minefield. Look for the DAEP qualification. There's a list here:

http://www.appliedequinepodiatry.org.uk/Locate%20DEP.htm

 

[foolsgold]

Hello there, my 17yo irish draught gelding was diagnosed with navicular disease 8 years ago, you have my sympathy, it's rubbish isn't it?! Can you speak to your vet and farrier about eggbar shoes? They really help my boy, he has dropped from needing two bute a day to one as needed. Friend has had improvement with natural balance shoes. I keep him turned out as much as possible and keep his weight down, I put magnetic boots on him (though i can't say they've helped, at least I've tried!) and give him superflex. If he has to be stabled overnight he wears thermatex wraps. Mine can be ridden, I only hack him out lightly, and avoid rough ground, hard ground and deep going. My boy is currently happy and I'm happy to keep him in his semi-retirement, however should he deteriorate or become unhappy or I am unable to keep him he will be PTS. Best of luck with your horse.

 

[Morrigan_Lady]

Fear not, its not all doom and gloom.

Max was diagnosed with Navicular Disease about 3 years ago and he's still going strong. He even competes in dressage comps

He's on one bute a day at the mo, some times we up it to two a day depending how he is. He has Egg bar shoes and pads on and is sound as a pound. Of course he has his off days, be he is a star and has 18 / 19 years old, he's a real trooper.

Please dont let that awful word Navicular get you down. I know my heart sank when Max was diagnosed and we always think the worst straight away. But with a good vet and farrier, theres not reason why you wont still enjoy many more years together.

Chin up chick! MW xx

 

[scotia2k7]

ok - you bought your horse in 2007, but it was diagnosed in 2005? That doesnt seem fair to you!!! Navicular does NOT have to mean doom and gloom - yes it does mean that the remainder of your horses life will have to be carefully managed - but Hey! every horse owner should do that anyway!.

Bute is the stock painkiller, and it works - so whilst she's on it, she will feel less pain. There are many forms of "hoof bone ailments" (thats a broad generalisation) which vets may term as "navicular syndrome/disease" - and Im sure you and lots of others who read this - will now the following. But, this might help others too.

The "navicular" is a tiny bone within the horse hoof. This tiny bone is held in place by several very important ligaments. One of these ligaments, the "deep digital flexor" which adheres the navicular bone to the "coffin bone". Surrounding this ligament is a sac of fluid, called a bursal sac, which provides a lubricant for these "bones" to move in harmony with each other, and prevents stress to the bones, and ultimately - pain. Horses feet are all different, and some feet cope better with this "wear and tear" than others.

Being diagnosed "navicular" does not mean the end of a horses working life. It simply means that the horse has ligaments and bonesin its foot/feet which are no longer working properly. There are various surgeries to denerve etc, and of course simple pain management. Bute is not the only one, you can try Devils Claw? Its a herbal/homepathic remedy - but it works for people with "carpal tunnel syndrome" - likened to navicular in the horse.

If after xray (where there is proven degenerative issues on the navicular &/or coffin bone) then pain management should be your utmost concern - whilst your mare is happy out grazing, and is not "hopping" she probably feels fine.

Long term? Well, don't tell everyone - but I sat my "Riding & Road Safety" BHS test on a very special horse called "Pinocchio", previously ridden by Jane Bartle-Wilson in 1984 to glorious acclaim. He was still on their yard, still going strong, and still teaching"no-marks" like me ten years on.

Scotia

 

[rebs]

tamster, whereabouts do you live? I have a horse with poor feet and borderline significant changes to his navicular bone. Have been going for remedial farriery for the last 2.5 years with little improvement so now starting to consider other options.

 

[mrussell]

Barefoot requires a lot of rehab in order to complete the conditioning process. I keep my horses in a heavy clay area with little off road riding. My fella had super thin soles so barefoot was not an option... he had Nav Syndrome and arthritic changes. He was eventually written off by the vets at Newmarket hospital. He was 11 at 7/10th lame on both front feet.

I was recommened Cytek shoes. There are a lot of old wives tales about them. I use them like normal shoes... changed 5 weekly. £55 a set.

My horse was sound within 2 shoeings... that was 4 years ago.

He is still sound.

The shoes have stimulated his soles to the extent that he can now stand with his shoes off while being reshod. His feet having totally changed shape.

Amazing shoes.