Navicular Syndrome Needs To Be Recognized Quickly To Avoid Suffering

By Ida Dorsey


There is surely nothing more distressing for an equestrian to look forward to a ride on your favorite horse, only to get to the stable and find the horse to be lame. Although this is a fairly common condition, especially after a long and rough outride, it is nonetheless of great concern as it is a painful condition for the animal and in most cases complete rest is the best treatment while the bone and surrounding tissue is given time to heal after the navicular syndrome has passed.

The role of the farrier, or blacksmith, is a very important one in maintaining the well being of the horse as the appropriate treatment of its hooves and shoes will ensure the comfort and health of the animal. There are many different designs of shoes for horses, all depending on the weight and size of the horse and what kind of work the animal usually does. Decreased pressure on the tissue in the hooves as well as the tendons is of great importance, which a good farrier will know very well.

If the animal shows a tendency of lameness too frequently, regular check-ups by a trusted veterinarian is important. A chronic and disabling disease can be the result of neglecting the symptoms which can lead to other more serious abnormal conditions. Lameness is usually the result of injury of the heel area of the feet due to incorrect landing of the horse and the rider should guide the horse to make the correct normal landing which is heel to toe, instead of the other way around.

Injury to the heel area of the foot generally causes the lameness when the horse tends to land toe-to-heel. The normal landing should be heel-to-toe. The rider needs to be aware of this and needs to concentrate on guiding the horse to land correctly.

No horseman or horsewoman needs to despair when discovering lameness in your horse as early treatment will certainly end in early recovery. When one front foot is more affected than the other, the horse will noticeably tend to change from one leg to another. The condition is to be borne in mind when working the horse, as very uneven surfaces should be avoided and therefore the recovery of the animal will be hastened.

To ensure the speedy recovery of the animal, a less strenuous work routine is recommended and jumping on hard surfaces will lengthen the recovery time. Only gentle rides should be undertaken to ensure the fitness of the horse is preserved while healing is in progress. No rough and stony surfaces or extreme hills should be attempted as this will most certainly add to the discomfort of the animal.

A much gentler work schedule is recommended for the horse while lameness is evident and jumping should only be done in the arena where there are soft surfaces to land. However, slow and gentle distances can be undertaken in order for the general fitness of the horse to be maintained while recovering. Steep hills and rough and hard surfaces are to be avoided at all cost if a successful recovery is to be envisaged.

It is very fortunate that so much research has been done to alleviate and cure this painful condition and it is comforting to know that with patience and correct treatment, the animal's condition can be restored to its usual healthy state and horse and rider can once again enjoy the harmony of this recreational sport.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment