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Veteran
Posts: 161
 
| Okay this may Be long and confusing but I am totally torn on how to shoe my horse... I listen to vets, read on it, and try to use common sense... here’s the deal.. I have a mare that has one foot that stands up a little taller than the other(right front is taller).. I’m not talking clubby at all just stands up (I’m guessing how you would want it)... but get this.. the mare was off on the side that stands up the most!?? So I’m thinking okay well is it because it’s taking the majority of force since it’s taller or is it because it’s taller/Higher the reason she’s lame in circles?? Vet wants to put pad on left front (the lower) and shoe right foot normal!! That makes me nervous... I am very frustrated with how to really show a navicular horse.. I know standard protocol is wedges to decrease tension on soft tissue structures to relieve inflammation, but I read that the wedges also put more pressure on the heel which makes sense..?? then also makes sense is that the higher they are the less stimulation the frog gets and since it’s higher it’s taking more force??? Please tell me if I sound ridiculous! I just honestly want to understand! Also are wedges or pads better to increase degrees? |
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Veteran
Posts: 277
| Had a horse JUST like that. The horse was NOT navicular, even though I was told by one vet that she was. The "pretty" foot she was sore on, the under slung foot she was sound on. A good farrier that understands balance and support made her almost completely sound with regular steel rim shoes. We went all the crazy routes of wedges, natural balance, pads, supplements, bla bla bla. Only thing that made her sound was a smart farrier. |
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 Life Saver
Posts: 10477
Location: MT | What you describe is high/low syndrome. There is a lot of information out there about it. I had a horse that we battled it on and once we figured out that the problem was in his shoulder and addressed that, I got his feet to even out.
If it were me, I'd start by finding a very good barefoot trimmer and also getting some massage/chiro done to find out where the horse is hurting.
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Veteran
Posts: 161
| I have a farrier that is very workable with! What did yours do? Oh and my mare has been diagnosed with mild navicular |
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Veteran
Posts: 277
| Brought her toe back and left plenty of shoe behind for support. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 889
| Horseluva97 - 2017-11-05 2:03 PM
I have a farrier that is very workable with! What did yours do? Oh and my mare has been diagnosed with mild navicular
Mild navicular can turn bad quickly if you don't have a farrier that knows what they are doing. Make sure you have foot x-rays and your vet and farrier work together to come up with a solution. It was crucial in my mare's recovery. It's not easy. Good luck! |
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Veteran
Posts: 155
| In April I started working together with a vet and farrier for a mare that had a chronic toe crack among other things. Best thing I ever did! I met the farrier at the vet for 4 shoeings, at that point the mare just needed to grow a new hoof. Since then I haven't had to see the vet, the farrier just keeps up with balanced shoeing and we're a little more than halfway grown out!
When there's a hoof problem, the best thing you can ask for is a vet and farrier to work together!!! |
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Veteran
Posts: 277
| My farrier will work with the local vet, but sometimes it frustrates him because the vet will recommend a 2-3 degree wedge when the horse obviously does not need a wedge. And then the owner wants it done to the vet's specifics without listening to the farrier. Can sometimes cause problems. But if you have a vet that is very knowledgeable about hooves than I could see where it could be extremely beneficial. Some vets throw the terms "navicular" out there when they can't figure out the problem. And then recommend a wedge. 
Edited by Meep.Meep 2017-11-07 7:24 AM
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 899
Location: Idaho | Horseluva97 - 2017-11-06 8:34 AM
Okay this may Be long and confusing but I am totally torn on how to shoe my horse... I listen to vets, read on it, and try to use common sense... here’s the deal.. I have a mare that has one foot that stands up a little taller than the other(right front is taller).. I’m not talking clubby at all just stands up (I’m guessing how you would want it)... but get this.. the mare was off on the side that stands up the most!?? So I’m thinking okay well is it because it’s taking the majority of force since it’s taller or is it because it’s taller/Higher the reason she’s lame in circles?? Vet wants to put pad on left front (the lower) and shoe right foot normal!! That makes me nervous... I am very frustrated with how to really show a navicular horse.. I know standard protocol is wedges to decrease tension on soft tissue structures to relieve inflammation, but I read that the wedges also put more pressure on the heel which makes sense..?? then also makes sense is that the higher they are the less stimulation the frog gets and since it’s higher it’s taking more force??? Please tell me if I sound ridiculous! I just honestly want to understand! Also are wedges or pads better to increase degrees?
Sounds like you need to get a natural bare foot farrier.
If your horse is navicular then your horse would truly benefit from it. I had a gelding that was navicular. It was two weeks out from a big three day race that I had entered.. spent a little over 1K to run. The day the vet x-rayed my gelding, he told me that he needed to be retired from barrel racing yesterday. Told me to put some wedge pads on him, do navicular versa injections, etc.
Well after doing a lot of research, spending a small chunk of change to alter his angles put some wedge pads on him to try and make him sound enough to run that last race, was planning to retire him after.. he was SOOO uncomfortable! I just knew there had to be other options. My last call was to a natural barefoot farrier that specialized in lameness and navicular horses. We pulled his shoes and She made him sound enough to run barrels, and we ended up in the 3D. We kept him on a 6 week schedule. He was still able to be worked as long as I kept him exercised. Bought some Soft rides for the days that he was sore. After about 6 months, we pushed him back to an 7 week schedule, then back to an 8 week schedule. He continued to run and was sound until he passed away from a stone obstruction.
ETA: I will also say that horses hooves do not need to be "stood up" with toes pushed back. This can actually cause navicular because it throws out angles and forces the horse to literally "Crush" its feet because it does not have proper support. This is what causes navicular to happen because that bone get so damaged. The toes need to be naturally aligned. Look at the feet of wild horses, They aren't pushed back and underneath.. they are out and perfectly aligned with the angle of the pastern and fetlock due to the natural wear of the feet.
Edited by DashNDustem 2017-11-07 8:39 AM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 889
| Meep.Meep - 2017-11-07 7:23 AM
My farrier will work with the local vet, but sometimes it frustrates him because the vet will recommend a 2-3 degree wedge when the horse obviously does not need a wedge. And then the owner wants it done to the vet's specifics without listening to the farrier. Can sometimes cause problems. But if you have a vet that is very knowledgeable about hooves than I could see where it could be extremely beneficial. Some vets throw the terms "navicular" out there when they can't figure out the problem. And then recommend a wedge.
I do agree with your point. It took me two vets and two farriers before I got my mare straightened out and that's only because I wasn't willing to take their answers as the gospel. So frustrating that we have to be so skeptical of "professionals". |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | Horseluva97 - 2017-11-05 10:34 AM Okay this may Be long and confusing but I am totally torn on how to shoe my horse... I listen to vets, read on it, and try to use common sense... here’s the deal.. I have a mare that has one foot that stands up a little taller than the other(right front is taller).. I’m not talking clubby at all just stands up (I’m guessing how you would want it)... but get this.. the mare was off on the side that stands up the most!?? So I’m thinking okay well is it because it’s taking the majority of force since it’s taller or is it because it’s taller/Higher the reason she’s lame in circles?? Vet wants to put pad on left front (the lower) and shoe right foot normal!! That makes me nervous... I am very frustrated with how to really show a navicular horse.. I know standard protocol is wedges to decrease tension on soft tissue structures to relieve inflammation, but I read that the wedges also put more pressure on the heel which makes sense..?? then also makes sense is that the higher they are the less stimulation the frog gets and since it’s higher it’s taking more force??? Please tell me if I sound ridiculous! I just honestly want to understand! Also are wedges or pads better to increase degrees?
If that is truly how your horse is put together (taller right front) then it makes perfect sense to pad the left front but not the right front, so you even the horse out.
Wedges take pressure OFF the heel, but of course, it will redistribute the pressure elsewhere.
If your farrier does a wedge shoe instead of a wege pad (with normal shoe), make sure you do have frog support with the wedge shoe.
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