[dressagesweethart]

I am just curious if anyone has every used this product:

Figuerola NaviculaSaver - Statelinetack.com

I recently purchased a horse (this past weekend actually) for my husband to learn to ride on and trail ride with me once he gets comfortable. It turns out he could have Navicular Syndrome (farrier is coming out tomorrow). I just wanted to know if anyone has used this product to help with the pain and what kind of results you got.

 

[SammysMom]

Subbing because my boy has navicular, too.

 

[Kayella]

I'd like to know as well!

Something that you could maybe look into is SmartSox by SmartPak. It could just be heel pain he's having rather than navicular. My boy had a problem with thin soles and underrun heels, giving him heel pain and making him land toe first. I started him on SmartSox and his soles have doubled in thickness in just a month or so. He's ever so slightly still landing toe first, but that is due to his hoof mechanics. Still working on backing that toe and bringing his heels back. The supplement is supposed to increase blood circulation through the hoof as well as be a pain reliever so it's a bit similar to the one you're looking at.

Get some radiographs taken of your boy to see if there's any remodeling of the navicular bone. You can also post pictures of his feet on the forum to have people take a look. Often times, any heel pain is automatically diagnosed as navicular. Heel pain could just be due to a bad trim or thin soles. Let us know how everything goes!
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[loosie]

I only know as much as I gleaned from that ad, but can't that it would really help, except possibly palliatively. 'Navicular syndrome' is a whole hoof problem & damage to the navicular bone & region is just one of the more obvious results. Toe first landings cause the main damage.

Enabling the horse to *comfortably* use it's heels correctly & therefore build strength in them, is the basic 'fix', although palliative(& generally short lived) treatments such as eggbar shoes & jacking up heels(therefore forcing toe first landings even more) are still common. Check out barehoofcare.com for one of many good sources of info on how to manage/rehab the horse. There are many reasons for horses not to be comfortable using their heels properly, ranging from simply lack of development, living on soft ground, being over shod, especially before maturity, working on surfaces the horse isn't 'conditioned' for, thrush, bad mechanics...

It could just be heel pain he's having rather than navicular.

The common reason for diagnosis, according to common definition in these parts a, it least, is indeed (otherwise)unexplained heel pain. 'Navicular syndrome' effectively just means unexplained heel pain. 'Navicular disease' however is diagnosed from rads that show damage to the navicular bone &/or surrounding tendons & ligs. Regardless the cause of the heel pain, it's best not to wait for the resulting bone damage before addressing it.

 

[Patty Stiller]

Proper and customized shoeing therapies are far more important and effective than any nutritional product or drug when it comes to relieving the pain (and the causes) of navicular issues.

The cause is nearly always mechanical, and the treatment should also be mechanical to correct the abnormal internal hoof stresses.

 

[horselovinguy]

There is new research that is showing that a properly barefoot trimmed horse can stop and actually reverse some of the damages of Navicular Syndrome, but it must be done as quickly as found out about.
Most people do heartbar shoes and or degree pads... there are other options available.

Me, I would have some x-rays done so you know if this is indeed what you are dealing with or is it something else.. many things can cause a toe-first foot landing.
You need to know what you are dealing with before you treat for something it isn't by guessing.

Navicular is a progressive ailment...but it can be slowed in progression with correct treatment.

Do some research and read, read, read... ask questions and get factual information to make some of those decisions you will be facing.

As for "supplements"... so many places all pushing "their" product as best;... it stops, reverses, cures...
All those places spouting this are in business to "SELL"... give me case study after case study where the proof is in the facts presented and I will gladly spend the money...till the proof is presented I am a serious skeptic... and will save my money.
I will work with my vet & farrier first to give relief and stop the progression of this hated ailment ... then consider alternative means as the time goes forward as needed with their combined guidance and insight..

 

[loosie]

Just to be pedantic... Further information...

There is new research that is showing that a properly barefoot trimmed horse can stop and actually reverse some of the damages of Navicular Syndrome, but it must be done as quickly as found out about.

'Navicular disease' is effectively the result of bad mechanics. It affects the whole hoof. Getting hooves functioning well(generally with sick feet I believe this is best unshod *not nec. bare*) will correct the problems that cause it & therefore halt & somewhat reverse *the symptom* of 'navicular disease'.

It is generally a very slow progressing 'disease' and while of course it's best to correct any problems ASAP, pretty much whatever stage of the 'disease' actual rehab is started it will improve the situation. It doesn't have to be done quickly or not at all. While if damage has progressed to bone loss/remodelling, that may not change, if hooves are functioning efficiently, that doesn't appear to matter. Horses can still be made sound. Many 'navicular' horses arrive at 'barefoot rehab' only after years of conventional methods have been exhausted.

Me, I would have some x-rays done so you know if this is indeed what you are dealing with or is it something else.. many things can cause a toe-first foot landing.

I wouldn't wait until the problems progressed to bony changes before 'treating'. Xrays can only really tell you how far it's gone & absence of bony changes doesn't mean absence of the 'syndrome'. If the horse is weak heeled & so landing toe first(this is a big cause to stress/damage on the navicular region, rather than just product of the disease), long toed/low heeled, etc, I'd be looking to correct this well before it progresses to that stage.

 

[farmpony84]

Doesn't getting the horse to move properly also help? For instance, if you have a horse that is heavy on the forehand by nature, if you can get him moving from behind, can't that also alleviate some? Not fix but definitely better the issue?

 

[Patty Stiller]

Doesn't getting the horse to move properly also help? For instance, if you have a horse that is heavy on the forehand by nature, if you can get him moving from behind, can't that also alleviate some? Not fix but definitely better the issue?

Improper riding that forces the horse to land toe first certainly can contribute ( western pleasure is the worst offender) )
BUT A lot of horses move wrong simply due to poor shoeing, so it a "whole horse" approach is always best.

 

[danny67]

My new pony was also diagnosed with navicular in the back feet. Yes we had x-rays done. Might need corrective shoes and wedges, but he is sound again with regular shoes on back feet and a course of Banamine. Going to get him some gluquestrian, and a diet for me to reduce his weight load.

 

[Clava]

Just to be pedantic... Further information...



'Navicular disease' is effectively the result of bad mechanics. It affects the whole hoof. Getting hooves functioning well(generally with sick feet I believe this is best unshod *not nec. bare*) will correct the problems that cause it & therefore halt & somewhat reverse *the symptom* of 'navicular disease'.

It is generally a very slow progressing 'disease' and while of course it's best to correct any problems ASAP, pretty much whatever stage of the 'disease' actual rehab is started it will improve the situation. It doesn't have to be done quickly or not at all. While if damage has progressed to bone loss/remodelling, that may not change, if hooves are functioning efficiently, that doesn't appear to matter. Horses can still be made sound. Many 'navicular' horses arrive at 'barefoot rehab' only after years of conventional methods have been exhausted.



I wouldn't wait until the problems progressed to bony changes before 'treating'. Xrays can only really tell you how far it's gone & absence of bony changes doesn't mean absence of the 'syndrome'. If the horse is weak heeled & so landing toe first(this is a big cause to stress/damage on the navicular region, rather than just product of the disease), long toed/low heeled, etc, I'd be looking to correct this well before it progresses to that stage.

The Rockley Farm blog has some of the best documented successful barefoot navicular rehabs and they will send people their results if requested. Horses facing the bullet after years of shod remedies failing have even returned to competing. I would not put any faith in a shod solution as there is almost no evidence of long term success with them.