Re: RC: Re: Navicular changes and endurance

[Lynn Kinsky <lkinsky@silcom.com>]

>----- Original Message -----
>From: <guest@endurance.net>
>To: <ridecamp@endurance.net>
>Sent: Tuesday, June 13, 2000 9:40 PM
>Subject: RC: Navicular changes and endurance
>
>
>> Patty Jackson jbco@jps.net
>> Today I had my mare's feet x-rayed because I have been
>> noticing her stride has shortened, especially on the front
>> right.  The x-rays showed some changes (degeneration) of the navicular
>bone in both fore with increased vascular areas.  The
>> coffin bone demonstrates increased vascular channels with
>> remodeling.  There is inflammation of the coffin bone and
>> degeneration of the navicular bone.
>>
>> Has anyone else experienced this happening?  A typical training
>> ride for me is about 12 miles, 3 times per week.  I have only
>> done limited distance so far on my mare.  She completed 4 rides
>> last year as a 9 year old.  She fell at Americal River in April,
>> my vet suspects this is why.  Her feet have been hurting but she
>> has not shown any real lameness until now.
>>
>> We are giving her Isoxsuprine for now and will be changing her
>> shoes on Monday.  I am not sure what my vet is going to have
>> the farrier do different, but they are going to work together on
>> this to try to get her going again.  I don't know if endurance
>> will ever be a possibility for her again. I understand that
>> trotting on these hard trails may be the cause.
>>
>> I am interested in hearing if anyone else has had this happen,
>> and if the horse recovered enough to continue distance work with
>> the proper treatment, or if a career change was necessary.
>>
>> Patty Jackson

I had this happen to my CTR gelding several years ago, with him finally
becoming noticably lame after a ride outside Phoenix (at South Mountain)
that involved the granite staircases from hell.  We did the isoxuprine and
stall rest, but the critical factor was noticed by my farrier when he came
out to put on the egg bars suggested by the vet.  Without either of us
really noticing it, my gelding's heels had contracted over the course of a
season's shoeings!  This effectively gave him smaller feet - and he was in
the same boat as many QHs who are born with small feet and develop
navicular.  My farrier was working with another vet on a navicular horse
with contracted heels and that vet recommended using Chadwick springs to
push the heels back out, and my farrier had the forge skills to fabricate
them.  Worked like a charm (and my main vet very much approved) -- within
one shoeing cycle the heels were normal and the horse was sound and back in
competition -- with recent xrays showing a perfectly normal foot and no
arthritic changes (18 yr old horse).  A friend's CTR mule went through the
same thing two years ago:  contracted heels leading to beginning navicular
syndrome, reversed by Chadwick springs (now there are several local
farriers who can fabricate them).  At least it's something for you to keep
in mind.  Good luck!


Lynn Kinsky (Santa Ynez, CA)
http://www.silcom.com/~lkinsky