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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
  
| emricmacy - 2017-09-29 10:33 AM Does my description sound like Navicular? How is navicular diagnosed?
Navicular is diagnosed thru X-rays but don't get ahead of yourself. New farrier could have changed his angles, shoe is too small, he could be working on an abscess, there are lots of possibilities. You might give the farrier who shoed him for the old owner a call and have him look at him, you can also take him to the same vet the previous owner used. Don't buy any supplements till you know what you are dealing with. | |
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 Expert
Posts: 5293
| Everything is speculation until a vet sees the horse. Here is my advice. Get some Isoxuprine , must come from a vet. Its CHEAP and well tolerated. It will almost immediately give relief from sole pain, bruises, abcesss pain, and Heel pain. You will see results in 36 hours if its going to work. If it does work, its extremely cheap to keep them on it. I have had horses 3 legged lame from bruises that were sound in 36-48 hours. But a vet visit and xrays are in order. Best money you will ever spend. If it turns out to be something chronic, daily previcoxx might be your option. Talk to your vet. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 897
| The thing is, both my husband and I said that we would like to keep things as close to normal for our horse as possible. Therefore, I called the previous farrier, and he said he couldn't travel to where I am boarded for only one horse, and recommended the farrier I am using now. I called my horses's previous vet to see if she could come out, and they are not accepting new clients, so they recommended the practice that is coming out on Tuesday. I don't know much about this practice. I feel lost. I'm trying to do the right thing, but I don't know what that is. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 897
| So start with x-rays and full exam? Ok, got it! Since he has pads on the front, can they still get abscesses? He's worse after the farrier on Monday. Is it strange that just hand walking him he shows no signs of lameness?
Edited by emricmacy 2017-09-29 11:07 AM
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 460
| I am by no means trying to make you more stressed out!! But, I had a horse who was off at the trot, but pretty good at the walk, and perfectly normal lope and run. He would also kind of "come out of it" when he got warm. He had pads on his feet also, since he had laminitis. That was one of the first signs, before he rotated more and got worse. Pads are only put on to treat something, not as a precaution =[ At least in my experience! I agree with everyone else, get xrays of his feet. If he's clean from there, I would block up the leg...ankle, knee. Wishing the best of luck though, and please keep us updated, HUGS! | |
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Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| emricmacy - 2017-09-29 11:03 AM The thing is, both my husband and I said that we would like to keep things as close to normal for our horse as possible. Therefore, I called the previous farrier, and he said he couldn't travel to where I am boarded for only one horse, and recommended the farrier I am using now. I called my horses's previous vet to see if she could come out, and they are not accepting new clients, so they recommended the practice that is coming out on Tuesday. I don't know much about this practice. I feel lost. I'm trying to do the right thing, but I don't know what that is.
Don't feel lost, everyone has a starting point and you are taking all the necessary steps. If for some reason you don't like this vet, who may turn out to be very good, move on and try another one. I would definitely get X-rays of the feet and joints. I always get them on a new horse so I have a base line to look at for future changes, if any, in the future. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 897
| Should I stop riding until the vet visit? | |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 889
| emricmacy - 2017-09-29 11:15 AM
Should I stop riding until the vet visit?
Yes, I would. No need to aggravate the problem. And you might be able to tell if he gets better or worse with rest/time off.
Take a deep breathe, try not to worry. I know it's hard. We always think the worst. | |
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 The Bling Princess
Posts: 3411
 
Location: North Dakota | emricmacy - 2017-09-29 10:33 AM Does my description sound like Navicular? How is navicular diagnosed? It's how my horse with navicular changes started out, which I why I said it. He was prone to abcesses, we padded him, and eventually started using pads with wedges. He stopped abcessing, he's more sound, but not 100% and never will be, but he is comfortable and has a good quality of life, so I keep him around as a pasture ornament.
They diagnose navicular with rads AND it's not an end all these days, so don't get all freaked out. Lots they can do to keep them sound enough to perform. Mine just has some other issues that it really just got too costly to maintenance him, so he has early retirement:)
ETA: Another poster said don't get ahead of yourself and I have to agree. It could be that he is working on an abcess in there, as they can still get them with pads on.
Edited by WYOTurn-n-Burn 2017-09-29 1:47 PM
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 Hog Tie My Mojo
Posts: 4847
Location: Opelousas, LA | emricmacy - 2017-09-29 11:15 AM Should I stop riding until the vet visit?
I would go ahead and ride, time off may make it harder for the vet to find a problem. Sounds like whatever is going on is chronic, not a new injury so I doubt you would hurt anything by riding especially if he warms up out of it. | |
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Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| Barnmom - 2017-09-29 1:58 PM emricmacy - 2017-09-29 11:15 AM Should I stop riding until the vet visit? I would go ahead and ride, time off may make it harder for the vet to find a problem. Sounds like whatever is going on is chronic, not a new injury so I doubt you would hurt anything by riding especially if he warms up out of it.
Ditto, normally I would not say ride but keep the same routine till the vet appointment | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 897
| Thanks ladies! I will ride him tomorrow and see how he is. We have a lesson scheduled for Sunday evening, so will see how he is tomorrow. I have so much built up stress right now. Maybe a horse is not in the cards for me! Maybe it should have been left a dream..  | |
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Veteran
Posts: 277
| Not every diagnosis of navicular is true navicular either. There are many vets who will call any "unexplainable" foot soreness navicular. A GREAT farrier will do wonders. Some horses have thinner soles, some are prone to heel soreness. I had a horse that many farriers put in pads, wedges even. Was never 100%. Found me an amazing farrier that understands balance and support. No more pads, no more wedges. Just plain old steel rim shoes. To me pads and wedges are a distant last resort, I am not a fan. This same farrier took a "navicular" horse of mine that was supposed to be in all kinds of special shoes and made her sound with regular shoes and balance. He also firmly believes in time off of shoes, and likes a horse to have 2 to 3 months off of shoes a year if possible. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 897
| Meep.Meep thank you!
I am giving 100% into trying to give him the best life I can, but I'm new to this area when it comes to owning a horse. I've lived here 6 year with my husband, but didn't ride before I bought this horse. There is not much in my area for boarding, and I don't know anyone. I've met a few ladies at the barn, and each have their own opinion on vet's/farriers. He is cold shod right now, and someone suggested a great farrier, but he hot shoes, and the girl I've been taking lessons with said she used him for a few years, really likes him, but said her main rodeo horse now has tons of cracks in his feet because of too much hot shoeing...and I didn't know if I wanted to try hot shoeing with him as he hasn't had that before..
As for the farrier I use now, he is considered the "barn" farrier. He does about 40 horses in the barn, and some people like him, some don't. His feet look good after his shoeing on Monday, but now he's more lame as he was before the shoeing. He comes every Monday (never when I'm there, as he comes in the AM). I just can't keep taking time off of work or else I will lose my job. I'm leaving early next Tuesday for the vet appointment. I'm trying my best. I just don't know why the girl I bought him from could keep him sound, and I've had him for a month and he's been off and on lame... | |
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Veteran
Posts: 277
| You're welcome. I am not a big hot shoeing fan, but have never had a need for it so maybe that's why. Finding a great farrier is hard, I told mine the other day that if he ever can't do mine he needs to teach me how to do them because I don't want to have to go back to hoof issues and unsoundness.
Don't let this stress you out. I know, easier said than done. Honestly if he warms up out of it, is sounds at a walk and a lope, works the barrels nicely, his issues can't be TOO terrible. I am sure a little maintenance and he'll be just fine. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 897
| When I owned my Hanoverian gelding YEARS ago, all I knew was hot shoeing, but after talking to my trainer, she's not a fan of it. It's hard to know exactly what to do. Having sold everything horse related I owned years ago, I'm slowly rebuilding, but it's $100 here, $80 here, and it's adding up, but no complaints. Hopefully this vet can be of some help on Tuesday, if not, then there is another vet that says they will come to my area. When I was trying to find a farrier, it was either they wouldn't come out for just one horse, or they were not accepting new clients.
I tried to keep his previous vet and farrier the same, but one said they were not accepting new clients, and the other would not come out for one horse. | |
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 A Barrel Of Monkeys
Posts: 12972
Location: Texas | Years and years ago, when I was in farrier school, we learned that legally, you should be able to get your money back. It sounds like you can prove it. I believe I'd be talking to the seller. And the sooner the vet x-rays him, the better. A horse doesn't develop navicular changes overnight.
On the other hand, he could just have a hot nail. I have a wimpy gelding that's tender footed and he does lots better with pads on his feet. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 898
Location: Mountains of VA | If he is heavy on the front end, then start with hind end issues. Is he worse in one direction or the other doing circles? Is he o.k. from the beginning going straight then is off in one direction or the other in a circle? He warms up and feels great, maybe he is stiff in one stifle or hock than the other. I'm not convinced that the front end is the place to start with this horse, I think it is a symptom of not being able to shift weight to the hind end. | |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 395
| I know how frustrating this can be. I purchased a horse 6 hours away, he was perfectly fine when i rode him. The woman was very upfront with me and i felt she was honest as far as any lameness issues, etc.
I brought him home, a week later he came up lame. Had vet do a total work up on him, etc. They couldn't find anything, but possibly a shoulder injury. Long story short, I got back in touch with the previous owner, and she was nice enough to trade him for another horse she had for sale.
I hope it all works out for you, but personally I would let the previous owner know whats going on. | |
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 I'm Really Boring
Posts: 4505
| Fun2Run - 2017-09-29 11:17 PM Years and years ago, when I was in farrier school, we learned that legally, you should be able to get your money back. It sounds like you can prove it. I believe I'd be talking to the seller. And the sooner the vet x-rays him, the better. A horse doesn't develop navicular changes overnight.
On the other hand, he could just have a hot nail. I have a wimpy gelding that's tender footed and he does lots better with pads on his feet.
It would be very difficult for her to prove fraud or misrepresentation and get her money back. She would have to prove not only that the horse has navicular changes (or another issue) that started before she purchased it, but also that the seller knew about this and did not disclose. Since she didn't do a vet check, the burden of proof will be that much more difficult to meet.
To the OP, good luck! I hope your vet is able to find the issue and that's it's something minor and easy to fix. | |
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