WWYD? Navicular in a Trekehner

[Equestryn]

Okay, this is a What Would You Do type of issue. I know there are a TON of threads on here about Navicular and I have searched them and read many. I just want to get YOUR opinion on this.

There is a horse being offered for "free" or cheap. He is a 12 year old 16h Trakehner gelding. He's a nice mover, great with kids and is able to do light jumping.

He has navicular that has been maintained with corrective heartbar shoeing.

I have a small facility with several students interested in doing Dressage and lower level jumping. I have three lesson horses: One is a big thoroughbred who does it all and he's great. Second is a fabulous walk trot horse but can't do much else due to heaves and anhydrosis. Third is a green thoroughbred who is more of an advanced horse. I need a horse that will WTC and lightly jump but I don't know if I want to take on the Navicular syndrome.

How well does the shoeing really work? How long is the average career of a horse with Navicular? What is the average cost of shoes?

I appreciate any input!

[JWB]

Depends on what is causing the navicular syndrome. Some horses respond fine to one thing, others won't be touched by it.

I gave away my very nice navicular mare who was sound for dressage and SMALL jumps but I would not have wanted her to go into a lesson situation. She was better with more turn out and enough exercise to keep her fit but no regular sort of pounding.

There are TONS of treatments available and some work for some horses, others work for others. It depends on the severity and cause of the disease. Navicular symptoms (now often called caudal heel pain syndrome) can be caused by a very wide variety of changes in the foot so the same treatment will not work every time. In addition, some situations will be just fine for years and years. Others will deteriorate at a regular rate, others will hit a plane for a while and deteriorate more....

Ask yourself this: Are you going to be willing to care for this horse when he gets to the point that he can't work for you? Even if you only get a year or two of serviceable work from him? Hardly seems fair to use up his last good years teaching lessons on him if you're not committed to providing a retirement home after - because navicular is typically degenrative and the day will come when he can't do the job any more.

[Equestryn]

Ask yourself this: Are you going to be willing to care for this horse when he gets to the point that he can't work for you? Even if you only get a year or two of serviceable work from him? Hardly seems fair to use up his last good years teaching lessons on him if you're not committed to providing a retirement home after - because navicular is typically degenrative and the day will come when he can't do the job any more.

This is exactly what I'm worrying about...

[Rick Burten]

Jumping a horse that has Navicular Disease is an exercise in stupidity.

Jumping a horse that has Navicular Syndrome is also stupid until/unless the problem and its cause(s) is/are identified and rectified.
How well does the shoeing really work? How long is the average career of a horse with Navicular? What is the average cost of shoes?

1. It depends
2. It depends
3. It depends. In my custom, new heart bar shoes add a minimum of $100.00 to the shoeing bill.

[merrygoround]

Jumping a horse that has Navicular Disease is an exercise in stupidity.

Jumping a horse that has Navicular Syndrome is also stupid until/unless the problem and its cause(s) is/are identified and rectified.

1. It depends
2. It depends


well said!

Why jeopardize a serviceably sound horse. If he can do decent first and second level work he is well worth taking in.

PS He is a Trakehner. While they did trek during WWII ;), the name comes from an area in what was once Prussia.

[Equestryn]

Oops! I am a horrible speller. TrAkehner. :D

I don't think I'd want to be jumping him. I need a dressage horse. I don't know how much dressage education he has but he apparently is great with beginners and intermediate riders. he was used all summer as a camp horse.

[Rick Burten]

The hyperextension required for some dressage movements will exacerbate the problem.

[AKB]

Our 23 year old who has had navicular for the past 17 years is sound. So much for the opinion of the referral hospital surgeon who said he would never be an old, sound, horse! Our 21 year old who was diagnosed with navicular 4 years ago is probably permanently lame, despite thousands of dollars of vet bills spent temporarily relieving his pain.

When you buy a horse with navicular, you need to have a backup plan for his retirement, in case you can't keep him sound. Of course, when you buy any horse, you need a retirement plan.

[blackstallion2]

I would have a thorough pre-purchase vetting done, just as if you were paying good money for this horse, because in the end, they all cost the same to keep (free or not). Get a good unbiased opinion from a veterinarian and go from there. You need to have an honest evaluation of his present condition and his ability to hold up in the line of work you have planned for him. I'm guessing that he is free because he won't pass a vet check... forget the free part and evaluate him the same as you would any other potential purcharse.

[Dressage Art]

We were doing 2nd level Dressage when my mare was diagnosed with Navicular. 3 years latter we were schooling PSG and showing on 4th level with up to mid 60%

Navicular can be carefully maintained thru shoes + adequan + navicular bursa injections + hocks injections + MSM + glucosamine + a little bute/previcox/banamine only if/when needed.

I was told NEVER to jump a navicular horse. And I also was listening and not pushing my mare when she was not eager to go.

The upkeep of navicular horse is very expensive. When to push a sore footed horse and when to push a lazy horse? Can various students tell the difference? Once you trigger the navicular = it takes 6+ months to bring them back.