Turning away...

pistolpete

pistolpete

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My horse has had lots of problems this year, a few wise folk have said turn him away for a year and let nature take it's course.
My question is who has done this with ridden horses, what experience have you had and do you still have them shod, in at night etc. My boy has been diagnosed with navicular, he has a cold back problem and had a tooth out all in one year! Tried him barefoot for a bit and he was in agony even using boots. Oh I forgot three hoof abscesses too!
Love to see him happy and pain-free, still on two bute a day at the moment, had physio recently as well as tildren and remedial farriery! Can't say I haven't tried! What has worked for you?
 
Barefoot worked for mine but you do have to get the diet optimum. Was your horse in agony on grass, in an arena and on flat tarmac? Led in hand? My navicular horse had several weeks being led like a dog before he was able to do ridden work on anything but soft ground.
 
Poor lad could'nt pick his feet out he nearly fell over. Lame in the field, no arena, used boots for the track to field as it's all stones. Goes from foot to foot on mats in the stable. That's while he is still on bute!
 
Yes, I've done this a few times with horses that have had problems, anything from a few months to a year and have found it very beneficial. One was a horse, like yours, that had had a bad year injury-wise and a couple were stressed competition fruit loops.

After a good rest and time spent in a good quality environment, ie; lots of forage, space and natural shelter with a herd, these horses did come back to work physically and mentally refreshed. Its helped with issues like napping, bronching, farrier phobia and being uncatchable.

If possible, get shoes off, rugs off, interact with them at a slower pace and generally simplify life.
 
It sounds like he has some really severe problems with his feet that desperately need addressing. I would suggest giving Nic at Rockley a call. She's very helpful, has rehabbed many, many navicular horses successfully and really knows her stuff. There's nothing to lose by speaking to her :http://www.rockleyfarm.co.uk/.
 
pistolpete said:
Poor lad could'nt pick his feet out he nearly fell over. Lame in the field, no arena, used boots for the track to field as it's all stones. Goes from foot to foot on mats in the stable. That's while he is still on bute!
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WOW, that's extreme :o

My feeling would be to wait until the ground is wet and soggy, and the grass has died away, and turn him out full time for the winter and reassess in the spring.
 
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