Navicular Disease, Contracted Heels And Bad shoeing Practices

If youre studying navicular disease youre undoubtedly finding a fairly wide array of information. Lets just look at it from the prevention/shoeing perspective.

Navicular disease accurately describes a deteriorating condition of the navicular bones that lie in the horses foot. Causes can vary and actually pinpointing the real cause often times is left undetected there are just too many factors that can contribute to the problem. One such factor is shoeing.

The navicular bones are under constant pressure from the deep flexor tendon. The deep flexor tendon is the long steel like cable of tendon that runs down the back of the leg down the back side of the pastern joint right over the navicular bones and attaches itself to the coffin bone. Without that deep flexor tendon there basically is nothing to support the weight of the horse and the fetlock joint would collapse and fall to the ground.

So while the navicular bones are pressed into the foot by the deep flexor tendon it would be prudent to make sure the bones in the navicular area can function at their best which brings us to how shoeing can have an affect.

Its typically understood that contracted heels have a negative effect on navicular disease. The narrow heels squeeze and crowd the navicular bones. The bones need room to breathe so to speak and contracted (narrow) heels dont allow this.

Horses with long toes, where the hoof wall is allowed to keep growing out in front, have a tendency toward contracted heels. The reason for this is as the toe keeps moving and growing forward the load and weight of the horse has a tendency to stretch the hoof wall more forward this condition will drag the heels forward as well. As the heels press forward the heels also contract and narrow. The pinching of the navicular bones start and so do the possible problems.

While the heels move forward they usually get shorter meaning the angle of the hoof reduces and the heels of the foot are closer to the ground as well the horse needs lifts in the heel. This lower heel condition also puts more pressure on the deep flexor tendon against the navicular bones. The problems are compounding arent they? Narrow heels, low slung heels with more pressure against the navicular bones and added to that the stretch against the deep flexor tendon is also pulling at the coffin bone possibly causing coffin bone rotation (the tip of the coffin bone driving downward toward the ground).

To combat these issues is surely necessary and possible. For one start moving the shoe toward the rear of the horse. The shoe can be moved very close to the white line on the bottom of the foot and the excess hoof wall can be removed by rasping. This will help prevent the hoof wall from continuing to stretch forward and pull the heels with it. By moving the shoe rearward the heels of the shoe move to the rear of the foot as well helping support the heel of the foot from sinking into the ground which causes more stretch and pressure.

Now that some changes have been made in the right direction youll also want to help the heels expand (width) to give the navicular bones more room. Removing the bars of the hoof will allow more expansion (width) movement at the heels. Leaving the heel nail out of the lateral side of the foot will also give one side of the foot freedom to expand. In an extreme case its possible to rasp away at the bars widening the heels as well. Temporarily and sometimes permanently it may be necessary to use wedge pads to elevate the heel of the horse as well.

shoeing is very important and there are more things to consider with regard to shoeing that are as important as the above aforementioned discussion. The reason these corrections have been discussed in the first place is most likely due to Farriers not using the correct methods of shoeing to start with. To prevent horse lameness youll want to be informed for yourself. The Author of this article has a 16 year 100% track record Not One Single Lame Horse. If you want his method to prevent lameness for yourself just go to the web address below in the author bio. It will be made available.

Thank you safe and sound riding and remember to Care4Horses.

Reprint rights allowed providing nothing is changed.

Author Bio: John Silveira, Farrier, Aikido practitioner, spiritualist, born and raised in San Mateo California the bay area. For information on his shoeing method and the 100% track record just go to http://Care4Horses.com and leave contact information. Thank you and remember to Care4Horses

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