Physiology of navicular

cptrayes

cptrayes

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http://easycarenews.com/08-31-2009/articles/physiology-of-navicular/

Brilliant article explaining why toe first landing causes navicular.

Bad news is that farriers and vets are taught that toe-first landing is correct and at least one farrier on this forum posts advising people that it is wrong for a horse to land heel first.

I hope they find time to read this article explaining the research which shows that a horse needs a heel first landing.

Is navicular a shoe caused disease? It looks more and more likely by the day.
 
Hmmm, I'm not convinced. If landing toe first is caused by heel pain, and navicular is caused by landing toe first, what exactly first causes the heel pain? As far as I was aware, navicular is just the explanation they used to give for heel pain. I don't dispute that sore heels/navicular makes horses land toe first, but why would a healthy horse land toe first to give itself heel pain/navicular/soft tissue damage?

Out of interest, do any unshod horses ever develop these problems in the rear of the foot? Why do some horses manage to wear shoes all their life and not develop these problems if its all down to shoeing and not pre-disposition?

It is interesting, though, and it raises some good points.
 
Great article - makes perfect sense.

As I understand it heel pain and toe first landing is caused by shoeing. As soon as you put a shoe on the foot the hoof can no longer function as nature intended (with the frog acting as a hinge to allow the foot to expand and contract and the sole to rise and fall) - which causes all sorts of problems including heel pain. The horse then starts to land toe first to relieve this. The balance of the foot is also disturbed by wearing shoes, which means the toes grow longer and the heel become under run - again a vicious circle. By definition a horse with a shod hoof will never have a truly healthy hoof.

I believe the answer is unshod horses do not develop these 'navicular' type conditions. Yes some horses can manage their whole lives being shod seemingly without problem but it depends on what you consider a problem to be. Any sort of tendon/ligament injury could be attributed to the limb i.e. the foot not being able to function correctly. Even direct strike injuries to the tendon are made far worse by wearing metal shoes!
 
article interesting but distinctly lacking in references to scientific papers although researchers and their findings are mentioned.

Do you have any references to scientific papers that this article fails to cite on this subject? I know that work has been done.
 
The article cites Bowker and Rooney. Google them and you will find plenty of stuff.

What I love about them is that they are not being paid by a company with a drug to sell to research this stuff. In fact I believe that it annoys the h*ll out of the University that employs(ed) them that they are promoting quite the reverse - a navicular cure with no drugs needed, shock, horror!!!

I don't need to look up their published research myself. I just watch people hunt and jump horses that were recommended, by vets and farriers, to be shot. Much more convincing than anything in print to be unable to keep up with your friend's write-off as it out-gallops you in the hunting field
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ah thanks, can do that, interested in doing a bit more reading.
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I like to have a nice list of places to go and read more at the end of an article and couldn't see one.
 
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