Navicular Horse versus finances

[Ladyfarrier]

I recently had a client ask me to take a look at his paint gelding ten years old and a very bad case of navicular. I have not been out to see the horse but the man is on a tight budget living off disability and such.... He wants the horse NB trimmed and is hoping for the best but I would think that I should look at the horse and possibly push for shoes and pads. Does anybody have advice for how to work with people who are trying hard to do the best for their horse but their income doesn't allow for the optimum. I am a new NB shoer and am just getting into :eek: the treating of navicular horses which I am currently getting hit with. In peoples opinions what are the best options and layouts for working with these horses and people.

[TWHHorseman]

LadyFerrier, My girlfriend has a Navicular Horse. I shoe him on 52-54 degrees with a TFT shoe. I've tried over 10 different Navicular shoes and this is the only one that helps him. I could see a difference the first couple of hours after putting the shoes on him. Here's a site to look at the shoe http://www.tfthorseshoes.com/TFTNavicularShoe.htm. I hope it helps you, it sure did with my girlfriend's horse. I pay around $17 for a pair.

[calshoer]

Ladyfarrier ,sorry I missed this post back in feb, I was teaching and probably overwhelmed with college stuff at the time.

TWH horseman ,you are aware that this is posted on the bulletin board specifically for Natural Balance and EDSS advice ? Your advice is completely contradictory to NB protocols. I know of those shoes.I used to use some years ago before I learned a better way. In my experience the helped temporarily but contributed to secondary heel pain in the long run.
NB protocols approach the foot's own imbalances and internal weakeneses that are causing the navicular and the heel pain quite successfully. In my experience (25 years of shoeing) Natural balance protocols are the best way to prevent and treat the problem for the long term .Maybe since your here you should study the information in the EDSS website... :)

Ladyfarrier, as to your problem (I know, a few months late) you are probably going to have to talk him into at least front shoes....tell him going barefoot in a foot with severe navicular changes it is like trying to treat a badly sprained ankle without a splint. Sometimes full EDSS is called for in really severe cases, or at least the option of adding wedge rails to a simpler shoeing after the shoes are applied.
Patty