NAVICULAR SYNDROME
A common complaint among horses with a different approach
The navicular bone serves two purposes. The first is that it acts as a shock absorber and fulcrum for the flexor tendons. The second job of this bone is its ability to help turn on and off blood flow to the coffin bone and hoof.
Symptoms of Navicular Syndrome are: Front leg lameness, inability to go down hill, hesitant to turn, and weight shifted behind front legs.
Common causes are shoe or hoof trimming issues. This syndrome is not genetic but rather acquired. A very common problem that goes unstated is that of poor biomechanics of the rear legs, pelvis and low back leading to Navicular Syndrome. The horse normally carries 65 percent of their weight on the front legs, but when the low back, sacroiliac or pelvic bones do not move freely there is a weight shift and increase in weight bearing on the front legs. This weight shift will cause strain on the Flexor Tendons of the front legs and eventual chronic inflammation of the navicular bone. Chronic inflammation leads to a breakdown of the navicular bone and eventual disease. This alteration in the front hoof will necessitate a change in shoeing and or trimming, but this is just a treatment for the symptoms and not the elimination of the cause. Your Vet will also prescribe anti-inflammatory medication.
You may be asking yourself what else can be done; well having an Equine Chiropractor evaluate your horse after your Vet has seen him is paramount to getting at the possible cause. If there is a Subluxation in the aforementioned regions then the chiropractor may be able to help eliminate the cause of this syndrome. The best time is of course is long before a Navicular Syndrome occurs. Keeping your horse well balanced with periodic chiropractic evaluations, massage, stretching and farrier visits is the best way to prevent Navicular Syndrome and to keep your best friend healthy.
