Navicular

Clodagh

Clodagh

Playing chess with pigeons
Joined
17 August 2005
Messages
29,029
Location
Devon
Visit site
If you ride a horse with navicular do they really 'work through it' and become sound once warmed up, or is that an old wives tale?
I have a whip's horse here for the summer and she does have it, confirmed by Rossdales a few years ago, and does have the odd sachet of bute after a hard day but just out in my field she is hopping lame. She is having one bute a day at the moment. I will get her owner to come and look ASAP but I can't believe a horse as lame as she is is OK in the season? She is carefully managed and does as little road work as possible to get fit.
 
My experience is that early on they do. In fact a few off strides and then sound gives me a cold feeling in my stomach as that is the first sign. As it progresses the lameness gets worse which sounds like what may have happened. I agree that you should get the owner to look but it could be something like an abcess brewing up too. they often go hand in glove with navicular.
 
One of ours is permanently lame with navicular regardless of what he's doing, the other is intermittently lame but cannot warm up out of it when it flares up:(
 
I'm sure it is not an abcess, I had her last year and the signs are identical. I feel sorry for her, she always rests her front foot and it looks really tiring. She is such a lovely horse. Owner is coming today, thank you for your replies.
orbvalley - do you still ride your permanently lame one? I am not asking in a accusatory way, this mare has whipped in at least once a week since November. She doesn't cub as ground too hard.
 
To be honest, it does not sound good, it sounds like the end of the road is nigh, though there may have been re-hab possibilties in the early years and life as a quiet hack, it looks bleak after all this time.
 
She was meant to be PTS last year but after five months rest with no shoes she was really good. (Not sound but only slightly lame). Her owner will make the right decision for her I am sure, it is such a balance choosing when the choice is life or death.
 
Faracat said:
OV - Taking the shoes off isn't the same as doing a proper BF rehab though. Have you looked at the rehabs done at Rockley Farm?
Click to expand...
I live in the south of France. The horse which is permanently lame has had every other navicular treatment done by previous owners except the nerve surgery.
 
It still might be worth a bit of your time having a look at their website and blog. Many people are able to do the rehabs at home, but it is time consuming if you don't have a track to turn out on with different surfaces, so are doing most of the hoof stimulation by walking the horse in-hand. :)
 
The poor horse I have here is a cripple. I am banging my head against the wall now. I might call WHW and report myself! Expect I don't want to go on their books it is, I think, the only way I am going to get a reaction from the owners.
 
Well I only speak to them daily saying something has to be done, they sent over 4 sachets of bute 2 weeks ago since then I just get waffle. I got a message this morning saying their farrier is coming to see her to see what he recommends. They insist she is only lame on one front and it is OK that she rests it and doesn't weightbear without hopping, trouble is both fronts are bad and she sits back like a laminitic to take the weight off them. It makes me feel sick. They are friends, it is not a business arrangement. I have suggested they take her back to theirs so that I don't have to watch her out of the window. Am spitting.
 
Poor made, it sounds like she has worked plenty hard enough for them to do the right thing for her. Does she have shoes on or off ATM?
 
Clodagh said:
4 sachets of bute 2 weeks ago since then I just get waffle. Am spitting.
Click to expand...

Thats a complete disgrace!! From what you say it appears they think they have found the solution in you, i.e.: out of sight out of mind! Poor you and poor mare. I think I'd be insisting they either get her, minimum, some proper pain relief and a vet to see her or else take her elsewhere.
 
But they love her such a lot they can't bear to have her PTS.
They are coming to see her tomorrow and I will have to put my foot down, she is the most lovely horse.
 
Clodagh said:
Well I only speak to them daily saying something has to be done, they sent over 4 sachets of bute 2 weeks ago since then I just get waffle. I got a message this morning saying their farrier is coming to see her to see what he recommends. They insist she is only lame on one front and it is OK that she rests it and doesn't weightbear without hopping, trouble is both fronts are bad and she sits back like a laminitic to take the weight off them. It makes me feel sick. They are friends, it is not a business arrangement. I have suggested they take her back to theirs so that I don't have to watch her out of the window. Am spitting.
Click to expand...

I am angry for you - and for the mare. You said the owners are friends . . . could you tell them that you think she is a welfare case? Frankly, I think they are taking you for a mug . . . :(.

P
 
I feel like one, PS.
Ester - she has got fronts on at the moment, please God they won't take those off.
 
Clodagh said:
If you ride a horse with navicular do they really 'work through it' and become sound once warmed up, or is that an old wives tale?
I have a whip's horse here for the summer and she does have it, confirmed by Rossdales a few years ago, and does have the odd sachet of bute after a hard day but just out in my field she is hopping lame. She is having one bute a day at the moment. I will get her owner to come and look ASAP but I can't believe a horse as lame as she is is OK in the season? She is carefully managed and does as little road work as possible to get fit.
Click to expand...

In the early stages of navicular, yes - horses can work through it - but if she is lame enough that she is continually resting one foot or standing like a laminitic, she'll be in too much pain to work :(. Also - hunting is the very last thing she should be doing - they don't exactly stick to walk on the roads when they are hacking back across country/between lines. Poor girl :(.

P
 
Last edited:
I only wondered as if that was contributing to the problem and you could boot/pad.

If they actually loved her they would either arrange for sufficient pain relief (if possible) or PTS.
 
Clodagh said:
But they love her such a lot they can't bear to have her PTS.
They are coming to see her tomorrow and I will have to put my foot down, she is the most lovely horse.
Click to expand...

Love, hell, even just a bit of care/respect does not allow suffering, I can understand some people may need to distance themselves but then they need to take their indicator from you that it is time to let the mare go.

did they come and see her last time they said they would?
I would still be calling a vet you are putting yourself in a difficult situation because by law your are as responsible for the horses suffering as they are by allowing it to happen on your land and under your care.
I agree wholeheartedly that you are in a difficult position but it sounds like the mare needs you to stand up to her owners, true friends would not put you in the position they have.
good luck
 
They do come to see her once a week, they come when I am at work, I only work half days so it makes me wonder. I am off all day tomorrow - they don't know that so I will mount an ambush.
That is why I really am considering getting someone to call WHW, a footpath goes past my field so anyone could see how lame she is. Hell, I would if I went past a horse like that, or at least knock on the door and say something in case it was a new injury.
She was actually Ok in the hunting season, as she whips in she doesn't do a lot of road work and they are very careful with her exercise, its just the dump her away for the summer thing. She is also much lamer this year than she was last, and she was sore then. (She was here again and I swore never again, I am such a mug).
 
Clodagh said:
They do come to see her once a week, they come when I am at work, I only work half days so it makes me wonder. I am off all day tomorrow - they don't know that so I will mount an ambush.
That is why I really am considering getting someone to call WHW, a footpath goes past my field so anyone could see how lame she is. Hell, I would if I went past a horse like that, or at least knock on the door and say something in case it was a new injury.
She was actually Ok in the hunting season, as she whips in she doesn't do a lot of road work and they are very careful with her exercise, its just the dump her away for the summer thing. She is also much lamer this year than she was last, and she was sore then. (She was here again and I swore never again, I am such a mug).
Click to expand...

Yes, horses with navicular do much better when they are in regular work - can they not just hack her during the off season to keep her ticking over?

P
 
Well she had her shoes off today and is even lamer. My field isn't ideal, it slopes and is very dry and hard. On the plus side she is going back to them at the weekend.
 
OP, you are in a very difficult situation and it must be really frustrating for you.

Just taking her shoes off when the ground is hard is not going to help her if she is lame now.

When the "barefoot rehab" people take a horse first of all they make them comfortable and that usually means putting in boots with thick pads, and treat for thrush and any fungal problems. (Maybe Rockley doesn't use the boots, but they have years of experience and a dedicated set-up). Then they get the horse moving so it GRADUALLy builds up the strength in the back half of the foot.

Hope you get some sense out of the horse's owners.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top