Would you buy a horse with navicular?

[Ladylina83]

This is very interesting. I knew I might be criticised for this - I am considering the loaning option very strongly but when it comes to having to think about how much money you've lost on him (and I dont really begrudge it as he is a lovely chap), then selling becomes more of a priority. I understand that me not owning him makes it difficult to keep control of his welfare, but I also think if I could find someone who understands the management of barefoot navicular inc feeding, supplements etc then there is a chance he can live a full life. Poor boy - little does he know he's being talked about!!!

Well - the question is then how much is a horse with Navicular worth !

My answer ! Not very much - you won't get market value in fact I'd be paying a nominal sum going into something like that with my eyes open so really if you loan him out you are losing about £500 !

 

[maggiesmum]

I totally understand the welfare issue, its more about wanting someone to understand hope to manage the barefoot side of things rather than navicular.
I made myself constantly available on the phone and in person to the lady loaning my mare so that I could deal with any concerns or worries she had, by being so open she came to trust that I wasn't trying to take her for a ride.
As i said before she's now a total barefoot convert and now owns the mare.

 

[maggiesmum]

No way - seen too many nasty accidents. My friend's daughter had a horse with not severe navicular that we just though would do a little tripping - it went head over heels on the rode plummeting the girl into the road - how she got up and walked away no-one will ever know.

I have also nearly had a similar accident

Would NEVER risk it. At all.

But in this particular instance we're talking about a totally sound barefoot horse, not a shod horse thats being 'managed'.

 

[EquestrianFairy]

Having owned one before, nope sorry

 

[Tinsel Trouble]

But in this particular instance we're talking about a totally sound barefoot horse, not a shod horse thats being 'managed'.

Overall I think the HHO consensus is the horse should not be sold. If you are able to loan him out to a pony club family for the spring and summer then you may be getting somewhere.

It must be frustrating for you to see a sound horse with this diagnosis, but rightly or wrongly, people are wary of navicular and do not want the responsibilty of having to deal with it, either now- or in the future.

 

[jhoward]

yes .. depending on intended use for the horse.

the 1st horse i bought my husband was a horse that had just been diagnosed, 8 yr tb. the main reason i bought was i knew the horse was suitable for a novice, and was proven on a busy road we had to ride on.

not barefoot but we had rubber pad put on inbetween shoe and hoof, and horse was 100% sound. he done the job bought for very well... unfortuanlty it turned out he hated men *sniggers* so was sold to a lady a mile away for her self.. and she paid more than i did lol.

so id say if you can find the right home your horse is saleable.

 

[HashRouge]

But in this particular instance we're talking about a totally sound barefoot horse, not a shod horse thats being 'managed'.

Yes, but it still has to be managed even if the horse is barefoot
There is no guarantee that he won't deteriorate and, personally, it is a risk I wouldn't be willing to take. My sister's gelding has navicular and we honestly wouldn't even dream of selling him. I wouldn't want to take the risk that he would then be sold on again and his condition not explained.
And given that we're in the process of trying to get this gelding sound and it is bl00dy hard work and looks like we're in it for the long hall, then no, I definitely wouldn't buy one if I knew it had navicular!

 

[Oberon]

I wouldn't have a problem with buying a navicular horse if it was otherwise perfect.
Horses can end up with a navicular label because of simple thrush causing heel pain.

 

[sarahann1]

Sorry no, too much of a risk for me, I might consider loaning *if* I knew the horse really, really well and the rate of the decline in the condition.

Hope it all works out for you.
x

 

[shadowboy]

I would permanently loan but not.purchase.

 

[NinjaPony]

Absolutely not. I shared a fabulous pony with navicular, but I would never buy.
My own mare had it, and it killed her. Never again.

 

[Equilibrium Ireland]

Bad shoeing and BAD TRIMMING can all attribute to the catch all "navicular" diagnosis. Owners that think 6 months between trims or 4 months between shoeing are also not helpful.

Newsflash, ALL horses are managed whether or not they have shoes or trims.

If this is actual degenerative navicular which rads should help see then no. However if rads are showing me angles are wrong then yes I will gamble.

Terri

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

No I am afraid I would not, as said, it wont improve or go away, it will only worsen with time.

 

[thatsmygirl]

Just out off interest, all you that would perm loan or loan but not buy is that so in time when he gets worse you could chuck him back at the owner? Brecause money wise he's not worth anything so I find it interesting people willing to loan not buy
geniune question I'm not being funny

 

[Spudlet]

No. My dog has bad hips - yes, I know the money involved is less, for vets and so on but it's not that which would put me off. It's the heartache. Every time my dog limps I fear the worst - I wouldn't put myself through this again.

 

[Holly Hocks]

Ask me in six months time - my mare has been diagnosed with navicular a few months ago so asking me at this moment in time I would say no. But we're going barefoot, so in a few months my opinion may change....

 

[maggiesmum]

No I am afraid I would not, as said, it wont improve or go away, it will only worsen with time.

As a fully paid up member of the barefoot taliban I beg to differ, we've seen countless horses diagnosed with Navicular, have thousands of pounds worth of veterinary treatment and be on the verge of being put to sleep come fully sound - by which I mean back into at least the same level of work before with no conditions on its workload e.g. avoid jumping, hard ground - and carry on its life with no degeneration or relapse.

The condition only degenerates (with the exception of horses with other issues) when the same treatment that caused the problem in the first place i.e. more shoes is carried on.

 

[Ali2]

Whatever you decide to do for him I applaud you for putting him first Many wouldn't.

He's sound now and sounds like a lovely little horse so you could probably very easily sell him without ever mentioning the N word if you had a mind to!

 

[Equilibrium Ireland]

I'm sorry I have issues with people making broad brush statements about barefoot being the ONLY way these horses are helped. Not all shoes are put on by hacks and not all barefoot trimmers are good. If as a farrier you can't do each equally as good I'm suspect.

Biggest cause of Navicular syndrome not to be confused with disease is long toes which of course do no favors in proper alignment of the foot bones and leave pressure on the heels. A good farrier should be able to properly trim a horse to help horse get back to normal. Some can also go the shoeing route with a good blacksmith.

In all these so called navicular horses were diagnoses made by rads or did you just here the word navicular and think horse had no future?

Terri

 

[Marydoll]

NoPe

 

[sprite1978]

catch all "navicular" diagnosis

I have always believed navicular to be a syndrome.... A group of symptoms that collectively indicate or characterize a disease. So in that respect, navicular can rarely be diagnosed as such...Its just used to label horses that are showing these symptoms.

The point i`m to make, is that when some of these symptoms are present, and theres no logical reason for it, these horses often just get labelled. - If this horse has been sound for a significant period of time, I would suggest its time to shed the label. Advertise the horse for a fair price, be honest with his past lameness which has been resolved by removing shoes.

To be fair, i wouldnt buy a horse with any history of lameness, but explain the facts - not the label.

 

[MerrySherryRider]

I'm sorry I have issues with people making broad brush statements about barefoot being the ONLY way these horses are helped.

Agree. Some of us have successfully kept horses with navicular sound with good old fashioned farriers and shoes. Listening to the Barefooters on here, you'd think their way is the only way.

I'd just like a more balanced view on the treatment of this syndrome, but if being a Barefoot advocate means there's a market for all the navicular horses, then thats good.

I do hope the OP finds a solution to ensure her lovely boy 's future. He sounds like a lovely horse, much loved and far too nice to leave home.
Here's hoping all works out well for you both.

 

[YasandCrystal]

In a word 'no'. I might consider taking one on loan or as a free horse, but even then very wary.

 

[Vodkagirly]

No, would be cautious of any lameness and our grazing is very rich and i suspect too much sugar for a barefoot horse.

 

[criso]

I'm sorry I have issues with people making broad brush statements about barefoot being the ONLY way these horses are helped. Not all shoes are put on by hacks and not all barefoot trimmers are good. If as a farrier you can't do each equally as good I'm suspect.

Biggest cause of Navicular syndrome not to be confused with disease is long toes which of course do no favors in proper alignment of the foot bones and leave pressure on the heels. A good farrier should be able to properly trim a horse to help horse get back to normal. Some can also go the shoeing route with a good blacksmith.

Problem is that the traditional treatments have such a poor success rate.
The last study I saw ranged from 10% to about 20% depending on the structures involved.

That's why so many people are understandably nervous about taking on a horse with these issues and I don't blame them.

And as the owner of one of the lucky ones who's back in full work, barefoot is not always the easy option.

I have a sound horse that's jumped and cross countried and hunted but he is also sensitive to grass and needs everything getting right in his environment.

That's why I was one of the ones who said loan, in my horse's case if someone didn't know his history as soon as he got footy, instead of addressing the grazing he may well be shod and then I believe his problems would return.

 

[.Redmerl]

Wouldn't buy. He may be fab but sadly, I don't think he would be actually worth alot and therefore would be far happier to loan. That way you can control his ongoing treatment and make sure he isn't passed around ect. I would want to secure his future.

 

[superted1989]

Prior to getting Markie, I almost did but I was specifically looking at retired/light hack type horses. (The horse in question had other issues too, it was those that swayed me against, not the navicular).
I've worked in a riding school many years ago where some of the best horses had navicular syndrome. These horses tended to be used for the 'best' pupils, those that had private lessons with the top instructor rather than the traditional group lessons. Some of them had had quite dazzling careers and would have been worth mega bucks without the syndrome but they ended up living nice little lives, enough work to keep them interested (but nothing stressful) whilst providing an equine education to pupils that wouldn't ever get the opportunity to ride such animals had they still been 'fit for purpose'. Those horses (and the ex show horses with scars) were worth their weight in gold. I don't remember them ever being shod, but very few at that yard were as there was very little hacking out, and can only think of one that had bute regularly (he might not have been one of the navi ones anyway!).