NAVICULAR! It’s common in horses. (But what is it and what causes it? 🤔)

NAVICULAR! What is it and what causes it? 🤔
You've been requesting this #ItsNotRocketScience lesson on the notorious subject of NAVICULAR - so here it is!
If you have a horse diagnosed with navicular you NEED to watch this!
Can it be prevented? And can it be cured?
I will talk you through:
- What navicular is?
- Who does navicular affect?
- Why does navicular happen?
- Diagnosis?
- Treatment?
Even if your horse hasn’t got navicular, ALL HORSE OWNERS should be aware of the likely causes and how to prevent it.
Lindsay Setchell, BSc (Hans), PGCE, HMB Pro Instructor
Founder: Hoofing Marvellous & the HM International School of Horse & Hoof Care
Thanks for watching and supporting. Please subscribe and like, it will help these lessons reach a wider audience.
👇***********************👇
If you would like to learn more about hoof problems and laminitis please take the following 4 steps:
👍 STEP 1. Join our FREE Phoenix group and join 1000s of other owners who are now waking up and fixing laminitis themselves: The Phoenix Way: Path 2 Hoof Health - / 291820723387464
🎥 STEP 2. Register and watch our FREE LAMINITIS WEBINAR: www.hmischool.horse/webinar-r...
👩‍🎓 STEP 2. Join our 15-day online Transformation Challenge 🏆 to learn fast about what causes laminitis and how to stop it: bit.ly/15-Day-Hoof-Challenge
(all pre-recorded lessons roughly 1 hr per day - take 15 days or longer - go at your own pace)
THEN…
💪 STEP 3. Join our 10-day Hoof Hero Challenge 🏆 and learn the CORRECT TRIM - whether you want to trim yourself or not - you need to KNOW (follows on from the 15-day challenge).
(Both challenges will cost you around 500 $ or £ total - pay for one at a time or both together - THEY WILL change you and your equine’s life forever… not 1000s on vets bills with unmentionable financial and emotional stress!!!)
“It's probably the best (and most relevant) online course I've participated in” Gitte, Denmark
Stop laminitis and hoof problems - rise to the challenge 🏆
#RiseToTheChallenge #ItsNotRocketScience #HoofHealthAwareness #KnowledgeIsPower #laminitisrehab
#LaminitisAwareness #EquineHealth #LaminitisMyths #ItsNotRocketScience #dontchoptoes #funkyfeet #laminitis #navicular #hoofcare

[@heathermacintosh5695]

Very interesting ~ thank you!

[@lindsaysetchell]

Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@HurricaneBabe]

I bought a 7 year old who had never been shown and only ridden very lightly and he was outside barefoot, 24/7. He has navicular. His feet and teeth were never done consistently or properly. He was alone in a flat/muddy field with a round bale. All of these factors I’m certain have led him to this diagnosis. So I think there are multiple contributing factors outside of competition horses. Movement and posture is a huge piece that was missing for my guy since he was alone and likely stood at the hay bale all day long. On top of whoever was doing his feet did not acknowledge his grade 1 club foot so didn’t trim accordingly. I’ve had him for two years and after dealing with intermittent lameness have finally gotten a diagnosis. He’ll likely just be a pasture pet for the rest of his life but I am still going to do everything in my power to get him to a comfortable place!

[@lindsaysetchell]

If you want to try everything in your power for him now, get him on a track with mixed species hays, no rye or alfalfa, no bagged feeds etc, with company, and keep his feet trimmed to his constant of the HSP - that is doing the best for him :)

[@debraholland5219]

Hi Lindsay, my new boy just showing signs of potential bilateral navicular after nerve blocks so MRI scheduled next week. Shoes have been off for six months and up until now, he’s been coping well. All of what you’ve said makes perfect sense and I’m not unduly concerned about what will show up. Feel confident that structures within the feet are now moving and trying to adjust to a new normal. As I have the option to have an MRI I’m taking it as need to rule out extensive pathology, otherwise I’m sure I can get him right with the barefoot protocol as I’ve done before. Thank you for the comprehensive educational podcasts 🙂

[@lindsaysetchell]

A really good positive attitude - regard it as a sports injury and it will take time to repair. Keep on the road of the species-specific diet and management and natural trim and you have the best chance ever of rehabbing your horse 💪

[@skidaddle32]

Drugs! UGH!!! My 11 yo ‘dream horse’ (QH mare) was diagnosed with “Navicular”. She was in my life for 2 years. Her previous owner used her for Drill Team and parades. She was always shod. On the very day the vet diagnosed her (rads, blocks, observation, etc) she (the vet) suggested I try the drug OsPhos. What did I have to lose?? If my vet suggested it and maybe her bones could / would re-model - by golly, it was worth a try! She then gave Dazz a ‘routine’ shot of Banamine. Then 3 shots of OsPhos. Because she was in a hurry (she had a big vacation scheduled and lots of horses to get to so she could clear her calendar) … she left. Loooong story short - never mix Banamine with OsPhos… it says so in the teeeny tiny print on the package insert - the one nobody reads and vets are supposed to memorize. My horse went into kidney failure. 10 days in a specialized equine clinic (all out of pocket - no insurance - $$$$$$$$$$$) - and I lost her. That’s my navicular story. Thank you Lindsay for this lesson and for all of your teachings. When we know better we can do better. ~ Maya Angelou 🌺

[@lindsaysetchell]

Oh dear I am so sorry to hear this sad story. Did you get any compensation for this error?

[@skidaddle32]

No compensation at all. I could have sued the original vet / hospital I suppose but I didn’t want to carry that anger. I also didn’t want to go after the vet who made the big mistake as she was quite young - all I could hope for was that she learned from her mistake and became a better veterinarian because of it. I, myself, was beyond devastated. I actually moved to another state. (CA to MT - USA). In my unresolved grief I rushed into getting a replacement horse. That’s how I ended up with my current horse - this time a horse with pedal osteitis. He is my spoiled pasture pet for now. I’m on the lookout for a riding horse but I’m in no hurry anymore. I simply cannot make the same mistake(s) myself.

[@rushtonstablesla6615]

Thanks for this. I just got a horse in training with navicular and it is not common in the breeds (Morgan, saddlebred) or disciplines (saddleseat, western pleasure, hunter pleasure, pleasure driving) that I work with and show in so I definitely learned a lot from this. The owner of the horse seems to think the horse is sound but I am not entirely convinced (the horse frequently stops and won’t go forward, counter canters and cross canters frequently and has a twist in the hind legs when it walks) so I have said I won’t ride the horse until I can get her muscled up and fix those issues. Do you have any suggestions on specific ground exercises that would help her?

[@lindsaysetchell]

Firstly check the hooves and make sure there is no thrush causing pain and weakness in the back of the foot. If there is, which is usual for horses who present with navicular syndrome, then treat that first. Once the hooves are being treated and they are trimmed and balanced correctly, then the horse will begin to feel more comfortable loading the back of the foot, then it is just a case as exercise as usual - but build up more slowly while the foot heals.

[@lenapalmer323]

Thank you! My horse has been diagnosed with navicular. He is 17 year QH we were just given after he was in 9 different homes. We want to do the best for him. Wedges and pain meds were recommended. We tried rolled toe shoes and it didn’t touch it. There is already bone fragments in the tendon apparently in both fore feet. Is he too far gone at this point to try natural bare foot and management? He is turned out in an 11 acre field and loving life. My daughter does not compete but likes to ride him. At the moment with what we have done he is only walk sound. He is able to have as much rest as he needs. I would love suggestions and more detail for when it is already moderate to severe. During training sessions what should be the focus? She is working at Liberty with him now.

[@lindsaysetchell]

So many horses diagnosed with navicular can be helped with the right natural trim (which likely was the problem in the first place), as well as the right diet and management (to stop any health issues with the soft tissues such as thrush). More often than not there’s hope if you educate yourself on all of these aspects of natural horse & hoof care. Please join our free rehab group on Facebook and we’ll help you in there - The Phoenix Way: Path 2 Hoof Health group: facebook.com/groups/291820723387464