There won't be a Hickstead report, there won't be any more reports from Soap :(

Mince Pie

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Oh bloody hell hun :( Not sure what else to say really. I do know that several people on here have sent horse with Navicular to Rockley Farm with some success?
 

soulfull

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oh no hun so sorry.

I have heard that some horses would show up boney changes on xray but never show lameness, so I am hoping for you that the hind leg heals fast and the then fronts are fine too
 

Lolo

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Poor you and poor Soap :( Lots of "get better soon" vibes winging their way over to you both.
 

Leg_end

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You poor thing. I went through this last year, hind leg lameness which was actually navicular in both fronts. As you know my story did not have a happy ending but the other horse on the yard diagnosed at the same time is still going strong and has not had any lameness since. Does the vet think it's mild or severe? Are you planning on having an MRI - we did this and it was good to see if there was any damage to the DDFT.

So sorry again, fingers crossed the prognosis is good x
 

vroutledge

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aww no this is terrible i remember reading one of your previous posts about you worrying you hadnt entered in time and when i heard they accepted your late entry i was so pleased for you. on the other hand my friends horse has navicular in both front legs and as long as he keeps up with his treatments and doesn't jump ridiculous amounts the vets said she is still able to compete him, which she has been doing for the last 3 years since him being diagnosed and successfully too.
 

Chloe_GHE

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You poor thing. I went through this last year, hind leg lameness which was actually navicular in both fronts. As you know my story did not have a happy ending but the other horse on the yard diagnosed at the same time is still going strong and has not had any lameness since. Does the vet think it's mild or severe? Are you planning on having an MRI - we did this and it was good to see if there was any damage to the DDFT.

So sorry again, fingers crossed the prognosis is good x

He thought it was mild as the front leg was only 1/10 lame, but it's so odd that it's only a little bit of damage on one half of one foot, he said he's never heard or seen it in JUST ONE FOOT. I just can't get to terms with how it just happened *bang* overnight he's lame on that foot.

I only have £1400 vets fees on my insurance when I checked which I didn't realise :(
so can't afford an MRI. Vet said even if we did do that and tendons came up as damaged, I wouldn't have him operated on. So he's not really sure what specifically it is, but it's being blanketed under the term 'navicular'

The whole back leg being damaged too is making it all more complicated, and I have no idea how he did that as he's in a field on his own....can only guess he kicked himself or maybe hit it on the trough?...who knows..
 

j1ffy

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Oh no... that is so so sad and what a terrible end to an exciting time.

Ditto the Rockley Farm recommendation - I drove a friend's horse there (in fact, I think you know her virtually if nothing else - she runs Aspire Equestrian) and it's a beautiful place that has had huge success with turning navicular horses around. It would be my first port of call if any horse of mine had navicular or DDFT worries. It sounds like Soap has managed brilliantly with bone changes so far and may to just tweak his foot balance to come right again.

Have a look at Rockley's blog here: http://rockleyfarm.blogspot.com/

And my friend's horse - he was chronically lame in both fore feet and likely to have had issues for many years, so his rehab is longer-term but he's now sound (having been within a day of being PTS last September): http://freelanceinstructorsdiary.blogspot.com/search/label/Kingsley's Rehab
 

juliap

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So so sorry, it's hard not knowing what you are dealing with & it must be such a shock for you.

Emotions / thoughts will be all over the place for a while & I really feel for you.

Hope it all comes right & isn't as bad as you fear.

Lots of healing vibes to Soap and hugs to you x
 

SnowGoose

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so sorry to hear your news :( if your insurance will cover it, would be worth getting an MRI and seeing if there is any problems with the structures that surround the navicular bone. As you say, changes in one foot are unusual so MRI might be able to give you more information and aid the prognosis. Keeping fingers crossed for you. x

ETA sorry, just seen your post re insurance since i wrote this, might be worth asking about price of MRI, depending on how much you have already used of your vets fees it may still cover it, last time I did one was about £500 but that was a few years ago.
 
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Saratoga

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Bony 'changes' can be seen in the front feet of so many horses if the front feet are x-rayed, and many of them will be totally sound and never have a problem. Unless you have had xrays over the years to compare it to and find out if it is deteriorating there is no real way of saying that he has navicular or not. And yes they can show a change in one foot and not the other, I thought this was relatively common??

Big hugs though, as it sounds like a shock for you :(
 

Rana

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Oh bugger :(

Don't give up on him - I know so many horses who have been diagnosed with navicular, but are still sound and competing years later - 2 eventers, a polo pony, and a dressage horse, and those are just the ones I've looked after. All have been treated with medication and rehab, not surgery.

I'd give him time to recover from the hind leg injury, so nothing is masking any front foot soundness, then look at your options. Just because there are changes there, doesn't mean they are causing the lameness in front - you've only found them because you were looking for it. Was he lame on that leg yesterday? Could he have bruised his front foot at the same time as he injured his back leg? Don't give up yet!

Doesn't help soften the blow of losing the Hickstead dream, but you might get him back to full soundness x
 

jellybaby2

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Sorry to hear this - however, another vote for Rockley Farm....!

My friends veterinary write off mare went to Rockley Farm - and is now sound as a pound and working well....I'm pretty sure her insurance covered it too....

Deffo worth considering....

JB xx
 

only_me

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Oh no :(

Bony changes happen in all horses - it's a bit like us getting arthritis, we all get it but some of us have it milder than others :(

Don't know what to say, except hugs and vibes :)
 

Baggybreeches

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Quick post because I am in a rush, but Navic isn't the end of the world, Emerald was diagnosed 3 yrs ago to the point where I nearly had him PTS (oh the irony!) and just by chance as I was due to get them shod I got a different farrier and hey presto in one shoeing he went from 80% lame in walk to 95% sound, and gradually got better and better, the rest as they say is history. I would first of all get a second opinion on his feet, if the lameness is slight in front a different angle of foot balance could be all it takes to make the difference.
Good luck and drop me a line if you need any advice
 

Tempi

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Sorry to read this :(

I was also under the impression that boney changes where quite common in most horses and like someone said above if you xrayed a horses feet once a year and analysed them over a period of 3-5 years you would see boney changes in at least one foot.

Can i ask what vet you are using? I would get a second opinion first IMO.
 

Horsemad12

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Vibes being sent your way.

Some of the others posters seem positive so try and take what they have said on bored.

Fingers crossed.
 

Halfstep

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Sorry to read this :(

I was also under the impression that boney changes where quite common in most horses and like someone said above if you xrayed a horses feet once a year and analysed them over a period of 3-5 years you would see boney changes in at least one foot.

Can i ask what vet you are using? I would get a second opinion first IMO.


So sorry to hear this too. For what its worth, I agree with Tempi here, and would be looking for a second opinion; perhaps the changes are not clinically significant and the vet is leaping to conclusions. Seems odd for navicular changes to cause a sudden lameness where no symptoms have been present and the horse has been competing at a decent level. fingers crossed for you both!
 

Prince33Sp4rkle

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get the hind leg ok, then reasses, dont give up yet!

if (worst case scenario) it IS navic, have you thought about barefoot? my orev mare was diagnosed navic aged 5 and went on to compete at advanced medium barefoot, came 100% sound after her first trim (in fact the feet started to change shape within days of the shoes comming off)...............even if he is sore when he loses one dont take that as a definate NO to barefoot, Bruce used to limp like anything if he lost a shoe, but is now competing bare.
 

Saratoga

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It's also worth adding that IME problems caused by 'navicular changes' in a front foot/feet are usually shuffling and a shortening of stride rather than lameness, which seems to get better with work.

I'd also be looking for a second opinion I think.
 

Puppy

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I'm very sorry to read this :( I know how devastating such news is, especially when it comes out of the blue. I shall keep my *fingers crossed* that he improves. xx
 

Vetwrap

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I'm so sorry, but don't give up. There are so many different methods and treatments around now, that there is every chance that Soap could be helped back to a competitive career. I know it's easy to say, but don't be despondant.

There are so many people on here who have helped me when I have had worries about my horses. Pick everyone's brain, ask for help, advice and recommendations and then - at the end of the day, go with what feels right to you and go and hug your horse.

You'll get him right, I'm sure of it.
 

MillionDollar

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Really really sorry to read this :( but don't give up just yet!

That Rockley Farm looks really really good. I'd def be interested in sending my boy there if his treatment hasn't worked (he has coffin joint pain in his near fore which made him not even 1/10 lame, he's had bar shoes and the joint medicated so far).
 

alwaysbroke

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No advice to give, just wanted to say how sorry I am for you and Soap, hugs to both of you and I hope the future is alot brighter than it may seem atm x
 

bigboyrocky

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how awful :( fingers crossed you get the best poss outcome. such a shame you'll miss hickstead as i know how much you were looking forward to it! :( :(
 

aran

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does he come sound if the vet nerve blocks the navicular bursae?
bony changes mean nothing unless the point of the pain associates to that location - that's why vetting xrays dont mean much as we are all 'normally' different.
fingers crossed for you that it's not how it seems
 
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