RockinGR - 2013-12-20 3:34 PM

Oh mine HATES his pony...and I mean HATES it. I've never, ever seen him show a mean bone or ugly face until I brought that pony home. The first week I let the pony out with them, they all tried to run him down and do him bodily harm. The pony thought it was a game, and figured out he could get under the fence, catch his breath and go back to it.
My intention was to let them live in the stall together...not going to happen. They don't try to kill him anymore, but I think the stall next to him will be close enough quarters for them during recovery, LOL. I do hope they have made good enough friends for the pony's sake, because once the horse is feeling good again, I'm not sure the pony will be able to out run him.

God Is My Light - 2013-12-20 11:00 AM


That is exactly my horse too, he will watch me ride my other horses and he wants to ride and run he just cant anymore, but there is no telling his heart that. My farrier says that they only lose feeling in the back half of there hoof and that they still know where there foot is. I know that Team ropers do it all the time and it works, but that's not running into a barrel at 30 MPH and turning a 360' 3 times.....No offense to my TR buddies.

Last Catt - 2013-12-20 6:51 PM


The problem with my boy is he likes to hang his hoof over the fence and pull when he wants something. He's pulled off many shoes that way, so for him not to feel the area he'd be applying pressure on, is what has kept me from doing it all these years. My family knows I know him better than anyone, so I've always played a big role in his stuff. He's 14 and has been retired for at least 5 years. I pulled him out in October for a gymkhana that was giving a buckle for high point. He went an won all but 1 class cause they had a reenactment start during my turn for poles so we got 2nd. He got that buckle though and showed he still had it. He'll be here the rest of his days, I've been blessed with a few horses that are my once in a lifetimes at my young age, and he is one of them. I started riding him when I was about 8 years old and he was 4, so I've had him over a decade now. If I had the money, I'd take him to the vet just to see if he was a candidate, but right now money isn't available. He's my boy and he knows I love him, all I could ever want was for him to be comfy and happy. He taught me more than any person could, he's like my little brother.

Has anyone put magnetic bell boots on a navicular horse or a nerved horse?

fulltiltfilly - 2013-12-20 7:05 PM

The horse in my avatar is de-nerved. I ran her for about a year and a 1/2 and had to retire her for a soundness issue unrelated to the de-nerving. I was just starting to really click with her and clock in the 1D.........

The surgery was $800 and she had to be on stall rest for 2 weeks, with bandages changed every other day. Once she was off stall rest she could go back to a normal work schedule. I brought her along slowly so she could get used to her "new" feet. She had surgery in May and I started barrel racing her in August. it has been almost 3 years since the surgery and she never had any issues resulting from the surgery.  

For my horse it was a great and viable option.  I have never regretted it. I did do my research, spoke to other people that had it done and i did speak to my vet at lenght about it before I made the decision.  It was so nice to give her a useful and pain free life. The day after the surgery she had a calm look about her because she wasn't in pain any longer. 

You just have to remember that if you do choose the surgery that it does not cure the navicular or stop the degeneration it only takes the pain away. You still need to be vigilant about regular shoeing (or trims depending on what works for your horse). 

God Is My Light - 2013-12-20 2:20 PM Ok Thank you so much....I have heard that it will only last a year or two before it grows back, is that true ?

Jenbabe - 2013-12-20 2:57 PM Before nerving a horse I'd spend the money on an MRI. I have a gelding that has been retired since he was 11. He had navicular issues, and when injections, shoeing changes, and bute no longer helped we were given the option of MRI or nerve. We decided to go with the MRI because we were told that all but around 10% of horses can be treated with surgical options and return to competition in 6-12 months. After the MRI I was told to no longer ride my horse, unless he was the kind of horse that would do occasional trail rides, and that he was no longer a candidate for nerving. Flex tests and x-rays did not show how much damage was done, it was the MRI that told the whole story. Even my vet was surprised at how much damage there was considering that he did not appear that lame. My gelding had arthritis in his pastern and coffin joints, cysts in his navicular bursa, and his navicular bone was deteriorating and changing shape which was causing it to saw on his flexor tendon. If he was nerved he would no longer feel the pain and would eventually saw through his flexor tendon. I can't even imagine how big of a wreck that would have been. I hear lots of stories on here from people who have had great results with nerving, and I'm not totally opposed to it in the right situation, but I'd want to know exactly what was going on in my horse's feet/legs before making that decision. My gelding has been retired to the pasture 4 1/2 years and he is happy as can be out there. He is obviously lame, but he gets around just fine and is the head horse out there. He was a very nice horse and helped me achieve so many goals, and I'm glad that he gets to spend his life out there being the boss. I miss running him all the time, especially when I'm dealing with all of these young ones! And I have no doubt that if I got him out of the pasture and legged him up he'd still go run his heart out for me. But it's just not worth the risk. He took care of me, and now it's time for me to take care of him.