Perhaps one of the more worrying equine ailments an equestrian can ever encounter is the navicular disease; on any ordinary day a tutor could find her horse brought to her haunches by extraordinary bouts of agony, or may be unpleasantly stunned by a horse undergoing training all of a sudden slowing down in intense agony halfway into the routine. For owners of steeds used primarily for leisurely horse riding, it can be more worrying, what with their horses all of a sudden being totally unable and unwilling to move on, stumbling over thru gaits they’d typically carelessly perform. The agony comes from a powerful burning discomfort owing to increased blood flow in the hooves of the horse and the accompanying shifting of what is commonly known as the coffin bone.

Navicular disease can be triggered by abnormal hoof growth, and this in turn can be promoted by not properly trimming pony hooves regularly. A hoof will grow and wear in accordance to what kind of footing it’s kept on. In poor footing and lack of regular, proper trimming, the coffin bone can be rendered immobile and thus cause blood flow in the hoof to be constrained. Acute conditions see the coffin bone sinking to the bottom of the affected hoof and piercing thru the hoof. The condition is frequently observed in front hooves and typically both feet are afflicted. The danger of acquiring the illness increases when horses are often kept in stalls it is exacerbated by physically demanding tasks or by being fat. Also, horses whose physiques are not correct in proportion or conformation are at higher risk.

Thoroughbreds have smaller feet in contrast to their bodies and are thus susceptible to navicular; quarter horses have the tendency to be subject to it also. Ponies as young as one year old can be diagnosed with navicular, the illness itself is gradual. As navicular gets worse over the course of time it can be hard to detect it in the very early stages. Signs of the disease are:

-Her stride is shortened, and she is averse to lengthen it.

-She stumbles thru gaits.

-She shifts body weight when resting.

-She is uneven while turning.

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