Posted by Phil Armitage on March 20, 2003 at 21:57:36:
In Reply to: Re: Navicular posted by Gary on March 08, 2003 at 03:36:41:
: : : : : : : : Two years ago my then 7 year old Paint mare was diagnosed with early radiographic changes (Navicular) after off and on lameness for a few years. He rated her 2/5. At the time it was worse in the right then the left. He told me to put bar shoes on her with a rolled toe and that I would be lucky to even trail ride her. The bar shoes did nothing for her. We then proceeded to put 3 degree shoes on her and had her on MSM and she became sound (as sound as a navicular horse can). I rode and trail rode her every once in a while. She was only on bute for 3 weeks last year as I rode her a little too hard in the field. I also had a regular shoe with a slightly squared toe and set back off the toe on her. I haven't had shoes on her all winter as last year she had 4 inches of snow and ice packed in them and wasn't doing her legs any good. She is moving ok. If she became sore they would have been put back on.
: : : : : : : : I would like to start riding her in the spring (slowly) and try showing her western pleasure again. I would like to know if it is going to hurt her any, make her worse (I know eventually it will get worse)or speed things up? Should I even be thinking of trying to show her again? I won't if she is sore. Any comments!
: : : : : : : Kimberly,
: : : : : : : You might consider having your farrier apply one of the shoes specifically made for navicular horses.. I have had good success with the GE-N shoe but there are others.
: : : : : : : Good Luck ~~~~~~~~~~~ Derin
: : : : : : Kimberly~
: : : : : : One thing I noticed is you do not seem to be keeping up on her shoeing. Putting a horse in 3 degree wedges and then pulling them is not going to help her stay sound. Sit down with your Vet and Farrier to formulate a plan and then stick with it.
: : : : : : Edith
: : : : :
: : : : : She through a shoe that spring and a week later she lost another. When she pulled the 3 degree shoe off she took some wall with it. If I put another shoe on and she threw it, there would be nothing left. So we left her bare for approx a month to let the hoof grow and she remained sound. I rode her some without the shoes and she was fine. A flat shoe, squared and set off the toe was what went back on and she remained sound with them. I kept her on this type of shoe and she remained sound. She has no shoes on now and remains fine with the reason that it is winter and last year she had 4" of snow and ice built up in them and was doing her feet and legs no good.
: : : : : I know that she needs her shoes but I didn't want her to go through that again. They will be put back on as soon as the weather turns.
: : : : : Kimberly
: : : :
: : : : Kimberly~
: : : : When were the last set of radiographs taken? If it has been over a year, a new set might go a long way to help your Farrier out.
: : : : Edith
: : : You don't say where this mare lives? In a pasture is my guess? As long a she is getting around and not having much trouble take a good long look at how she is wearing her feet before she's trimmed and shod next go around! Navicular horse's will adapt to their envionment if given a large enough area to move around in! That way she will give ya'll a guide as to how she wants to go! Good Luck! Gary
: : During the summer she is on a nice pasture with lots of room to run. In the winter she is in a turn out stall, still in a pasture with lots of room to run. If I am not mistaken, and I would have to look at her shoes, over time she would wear down the toes. I will have a look at her feet and see what is up.
: : Kimberly
: On some horses a rolled toe is about all they need at that time. Something to help enhance breakover and they're comfortable. A new shoe not rolled or altered will creat alittle resistance, and it takes a few weeks to wear that spot so they're comfortable. Good Luck! Gary
Kimberly just so you know, in the winter use borrium on the shoes so they do not slip on ice and use either a snow rim pad or snow ball pad to keep the snow out of the shoe. It might me a good idea for this horse to apply the borrium after the toe is rolled, I do not like to use snowball pads on a navicular horse because the dimple in the pad fills up with dirt and puts pressure right on the center of the frog which is right over the navicular area and causes pain. A snow rim pad might work better. Also sometimes when a bar shoe is used the snow and ice will stick in there even with a snow rim pad, when you have days like that, spray cooking oil in there. We have to do these things up here in Maine, we do more winter shoeing than summer shoeing. We are just coming out of one of the worst winters in 10 years and horses with Navicular, founder, ringbone and broken coffin bones are all surviving. Just have to use common sense and stick to a good shoeing method and a strict schedule.
Phil