Who has or has had a nerved horse and still allows them out to pasture? I am planning on nerving my navicular gelding but was told I need to limit his space and not allow him out to pasture (along with checking his feet regularily for abscess, injury, etc.). I am not excited about doing this, this horse already has a sensitive mind and going out to pasture as weather permits is one of the best things for him. If it is truly dangerous for him to be out I will do the best thing for him; whether that be not nerving him or confining him. 

I had a gelding that we nerved.  He lived out in the pasture, was a solid head horse.  I'd do it again if needed.  Zero problems.  

Ours was out in pasture.  They nerved both front feet.  Had no issues.  The nerves can attach or grow back sometimes.  Usually takes a year or two if it does.

Yes they can be turned out, but just check them every day to make sure they dont have anything thats impaled into his/her hoof.. 

The grey mare I used to own I nerved. She led a normal life without restrictions. She had no issues with the procedure but her nerves did regenerate after 3 years. 

My mom went to NFR on a horse that was nerved twice because his grew back once. 

I don’t think there’s a problem with turn out, mine was done several yrs ago and she’s been fine, she’s now retired and out most of the time.

I've nerved two and both were treated like normal horses afterwards.  However, I had bad luck on both.  Only lasted approximately 6 months for each horse.  Obviously not worth the cost of doing it again when you don't get the "hoped for" 2-3+ years.  Keep a close eye for signs of the nerves growing back.

I always see people who have like these great outcomes where nothing bad ever happens with nerved horses, but the reality is there are real risks and things can go bad... so being at the clinic I see more of the "when things go bad" with nerving. 

Technically when you do a palmar digital neurectomy, there is still some sensation left in the toe, but most of the sensation of the foot is gone.  Because of this, if they get a puncture wound, or a bad abscess in just the right spot, or any abscess that isnt in the toe, they won't feel it for a while. Which means, if theres a wound that ends up penetrating into the coffin joint, navicular bursa, or DDFT, you may not know until its way too late. So, thats why we recommend to not just chunk them out in a pasture because to me, they need eyes on them more than the normal horse who would come up lame the instant something like that happens.  

The other risk, which doesn't really have to do with turn out but just the neurectomy in general, is failure of the DDFT.  If you don't know the status of the DDFT when you nerve one, as soon as the pain is gone they use that foot more and can rupture that tendon. If they do that, its game over.  I've seen it happen within a week of being nerved. Owner was aware of the risk but wanted to try.  

There's also the risk of neuromas forming, which is a painful lesion where the nerve was cut, so the horse has chronic nerve pain and isn't any better than before. 

I've also seen horses collapse joints when they  no longer have the negative feedback to tell them to take it easy on a leg..

And yes, nerves grow back, so that's something that happens over time and horses may need to be re-nerved. 

So I feel like when you decide on neurectomy, you have to really look at all the risks. I've seen all of the above happen. 

We recently did an MRI so we know there is no damage to the ddft's. My horses go out to pasture during the day and come in at night, so he wouldn't be out to pasture for days or weeks at a time without being checked on. I am already so paranoid with this gelding and check his legs and feet at least twice a day, so that will be nothing new. I just wasn't sure how common it was for a nerved horse to be cooped up and not allowed out to pasture or turnout. After seeing so many turned out without issues it makes me feel a bit better since this guy would not do good cooped up. 

I would turn him out, but diligently check his feet and check for pulses every day when he comes in. It's quick, takes maybe 2 minutes, and itll become habit in no time. 

I nerved 2 horses and my only regret was not doing it sooner... When I did my research, I found that ALOT of top horses are nerved. I turned mine out on pasture, they lived normal lives, I still have one and he is 21 and I am considering having it done again cause he does have feeling back there and mine lasted about 3 years... but he's been retired now for years so I haven't done it again, he gets along great even with the sensation back there, but it's probably because he isn't rode. But he runs and plays with everyone else, just not as long considering his age. 

The procedure itself was alot easier then I thought it was going to be.  Mine was on stall rest for 2 weeks and once the stitches came out, they were free to go.  Im not sure why they would say to limit them considering top performers are still out working. (Mine have 26 acres with trees, rocks, a pond and everything and they did absolutely fine.