Good, basic article on navicular

[Bluey]

With interesting, general foot care comments:

http://stablemanagement.com/issues/article.php?tid=803&channel=hc

[BornToRide]

Sure is:


But healthy feet depend upon a lifetime of quality trimming and shoeing rather than constant medications or on-the-spot treatments. So instead of focusing on specific foot areas, it’s best to evaluate the overall health of the foot. Even going barefoot is making a comeback, supported by studies from top navicular researchers that find that trimming the foot to become weight-bearing over the frog, sole and bars, to distribute weight evenly, results in a more mature development of fibrous tissue within the digital cushion.
“Shod horses are fairly underdeveloped in that way. A horse moving in nature freely will have a stronger, more developed foot,” Dr. Vidal says.



But then this comes along and contradicts the above - toe loading is the prime causes of navicular syndrome and many horses need to be bare for a while at least to help the hoof decontract. I also question how a shoe would posssibly help with DDFT adhesions:
“Given the diagnosis and area of the lesion, we can tailor-make our shoeing to fit that horse,” says Dr. Dryden. “If the horse has, for example, an adhesion (adherence or “sticking to”) of the deep digital flexor surface of the navicular bone, the horse would benefit from having a wedged shoe to elevate the heel. Also these horses benefit from having a rocker toe or rolled toe—that’s where we put a very gradual bend in the shoe so it has a gradual slope to the ground surface and reduces the breakover point of the foot.”

[Guilherme]

Maybe the answer is that one size does not fit all and that some horses can go barefoot and some can't.

G.

[Rick Burten]

toe loading is the prime causes of navicular syndrome
According to whom and based on what research?
and many horses need to be bare for a while at least to help the hoof decontract.
According to whom and based on what research?
I also question how a shoe would posssibly help with DDFT adhesions:
Since you posted the quote that refers to this issue, I question whether you are truly able to read for content in context with comprehension.

[BornToRide]

Maybe the answer is that one size does not fit all and that some horses can go barefoot and some can't.

G.
I have yet to see a shoeing solution that healed a navicular horse. I have not had the same experience with allowing the horse to go bare, at least for a while, so the hooves can actually heal.

[Androcles]

But then this comes along and contradicts the above - toe loading is the prime causes of navicular syndrome

It is? We know this how?

[Patty Stiller]

I have yet to see a shoeing solution that healed a navicular horse.Depends on what you mean by "navicular".
TRUE navicular disease, that is the deterioration of the bone, is not healed by any method, barefoot or shod, but managed. Therefore , if you mean navicular DISEASE, (the bone) I have yet to see a barefoot solution that healed a navicular horse either. Navicular Bone lesions don't go away. So your point is moot.

However I HAVE seen "navicular syndrome" (injured, sore connective tissue around the bone) HEALED by correct therapeutic shoeing. Particularly impar ligaments, verified with imaging of the tissues. :yes:

[Patty Stiller]

Originally Posted by BornToRide
But then this comes along and contradicts the above - toe loading is the prime causes of navicular syndromeToe LANDING may be one cause, but there are other causes as well. Hoof imbalance, long toes creating abnormal leverage at breakover is probably another biggie.
Genetically weak digital cushion and negative palmer angles is probably another.

[rcloisonne]

But then this comes along and contradicts the above - toe loading is the prime causes of navicular syndrome...
Is it a CAUSE or a SYMPTOM? If the horse is heel sore (navicular) he will be more inclined to "toe load". Raising the heels via a wedge encourages a more heel first landing most of the time.