Navicular- remedial shoeing barefoot?

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Baymare88

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Hi everyone, I do apologise in advance, but for some reason I am unable to press return to move the cursor down! So, I have had a bit of a bad year with my mare. In June, she was diagnosed with a check ligament injury on her left fore, which e did rehab for and she is on the mend. Now, she is lame on her right fore. Had the vet out and today she had it x-rayed. She has some bruising to her hoof, he beginning of osteoarthritis and navicular. The vet says she wants her shod with either natural balance shoes or bar shoes and pads but other people have said she would be better transitioning to barefoot. She is 16hh2,14 year old hanovarian mare and I have had her 2 years. She hasn't done much previously and I would love to get her out doing dressage, low level Showjumping and possibly low level XC, but we shall see. My plan is to hack her out and give her an easy winter, hoping to bring her back after xmas. Any thoughts and advice appreciated.
 
Baymare88 said:
Hi everyone, I do apologise in advance, but for some reason I am unable to press return to move the cursor down! So, I have had a bit of a bad year with my mare. In June, she was diagnosed with a check ligament injury on her left fore, which e did rehab for and she is on the mend. Now, she is lame on her right fore. Had the vet out and today she had it x-rayed. She has some bruising to her hoof, he beginning of osteoarthritis and navicular. The vet says she wants her shod with either natural balance shoes or bar shoes and pads but other people have said she would be better transitioning to barefoot. She is 16hh2,14 year old hanovarian mare and I have had her 2 years. She hasn't done much previously and I would love to get her out doing dressage, low level Showjumping and possibly low level XC, but we shall see. My plan is to hack her out and give her an easy winter, hoping to bring her back after xmas. Any thoughts and advice appreciated.
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Have a look at the rockley farm website on their blog. They've had numerous cases of navicular horses being rehabbed by barefoot. It is well worth a look.
 
My mare was diagnosed with navicular just ver two years ago. She had no soft tissue damage which I understand is very rare. I changed her routine and fortunately have a good farrier. I did consider barefoot but didn't want to send her miles away from home. She's ridden 4 or 5 times a week (hacking & schooling).
Certainly worth looking at Rockley and talking to your vet about going barefoot as an option.
 
What is your routine and what shoes does she have? I'm going to get a second opinion and get an mRi done so we know exactly what we are dealing with. I wouldn't want to send her to rockley, which is the only thing but I have been recommended someone who would be able to help us transition at home. I just want to do the best thing to keep her sound and happy for as long as I can.
 
Baymare88 said:
What is your routine and what shoes does she have? I'm going to get a second opinion and get an mRi done so we know exactly what we are dealing with. I wouldn't want to send her to rockley, which is the only thing but I have been recommended someone who would be able to help us transition at home. I just want to do the best thing to keep her sound and happy for as long as I can.
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i wasn't suggesting that you sent her to rockley. They just have really useful information and case studies of different horses transitioning to barefoot. I'm sure Nic at Rockley would also be willing to answer any questions you may have.
 
She's out more, I've managed to reduce her weight, not easy being a good doer. She did have an MRI scan because X-rays didn't show anything. Her shoes have a small heel wedge which I know some people think is the worse thing to do.
She's not had back shoes on for years but the angle of her front feet with these shoes now looks correct and so far so good. If I was to go barefoot I'd like to do it at home also.
Another horse on the yard recently diagnosed with navicular with soft tissue damage is having Tilden and heartbar shoes.
There are different options and after investigating, you can peruse the route you think best for you and your horse.
 
My mare is also a good doer but she has lost weight but hasn't been back in full work for long due to damaging her check ligament. Bit of a bad year! I think I'm going to get a second opinion and look at my options and speak to different people to see what they say. I'm just gutted at the moment and there are too many things to think about!
 
You will know your horse better than anyone and yes it is a shock when you are told they have navicular. At least you know what you are living with and I presume after rest for check ligament you can start getting back to normal with the routine and management program you decide on.
 
Ask your vet how many horses will return to work, even at a reduced level, with a conventional treatment with shoes and medication. It's 20% or less according to recent studies I have seen.

Then check out the results of barefoot rehabs done by Rockley, and other people like me who have done one or two at home.

It's at least 80% back to work most of them to as much or more than they did at their best.

Then maybe ask yourself, with those results, why anyone would want to go down the remedial shoeing route. There is no published research worth the paper it's written on, yet vets and farriers keep on blindly telling owners that there is no option. It's not true.
 
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