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Discussion on Navicular in a reining horse offered for sale
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New Member:
eveymb
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Posted on Friday, Mar 10, 2017 - 1:49 am:
Hello Dr.O , its good to be back with HA. Unfortunately I am back with a dilemma. My Grand-daughter works at and takes lessons at a boarding barn in the city. Last show season( her first)in reining she won a reserve and green championship.The horse she rode is now retired for breeding and the barn owner wants to sell her another "show mare" that was nerved 6 yrs ago due to navicular and re-nerved about a year ago. She is sound now with 5 week resets of specially designed shoes, gel pads and daily meds. I am concerned that the stress of reining patterns will cause the mare to rupture her tendon. Barn owner states she will have no problem and my grand daughter can show her for 3 or so years and then sell her back to use for breeding. ( Excellent bloodlines I am told). She is being sold for many thousands and will cost about $12000. a year to keep and maintain before showing fees etc.
I am reluctant to invest in the purchase of this horse having a bad feeling about her continuing soundness. Everyone is angry at me for being hesitant. Am I being ridiculous? Is there anything a vet should do in a prepurchase exam? Thank you for reading this lengthy post.
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Member:
lsweeney
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Posted on Saturday, Mar 11, 2017 - 4:52 pm:
Your "warning warning/danger danger" radar is well-deserved. I don't know how old your granddaughter is, but I was 12 with my first horse. She was 4, and I was with her when she took her last breath at 33 years old. I'm not one of those people that can sell a horse to get another one. So.....I'm very careful when I sign up for a new one because I'm pretty much getting married. I want the soundest, healthiest animal that I can find.
Actually, my true first horse went back after a week. My mother went behind my dad's back and bought a horse for me when I was 12 that ended up having pneumonia and a club foot. We took her back, and it was devastating for me. Crying into my pillow for weeks. So my father got involved, and I ended up with Rosie which was a much better choice for the long haul.
I've seen many a trainer or breeder take advantage of the unsuspecting newbie, so I would bring along an expert and have the horse vet checked before you sign up for any horse - even a cheap one. As the purchase price is always the cheapest part of owning a horse.
On a lark I googled reining horses for sale and found this page. Assuming that most of these horses are sound, do some comparison shopping for what you are signing up for: https://www.reinerstop.com/category/7-Years-and-older/S/?&page=1
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Member:
lsweeney
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Posted on Saturday, Mar 11, 2017 - 5:12 pm:
Another thought would be to lease the horse with a cancellation clause so you could get out of the lease if the horse is no longer sound.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Saturday, Mar 11, 2017 - 7:20 pm:
Welcome Back, Yvette,
No you are not being ridiculous: a twice nerved horse for a competitive reining horse? My first reaction is this is just wrong as the physical requirements are intense and loss of sensation distally may make them more risky. However let me put my objective hat on...I am sorry it still seems wrong for the horse no matter what the risk / benefit analysis is for your rider. If this goes forward there should be radiographs followed by a MRI done for evaluating any tissues that are breaking down that may be accelerated by continued intense exercise.
DrO
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Member:
lsweeney
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Posted on Saturday, Mar 11, 2017 - 8:15 pm:
I don't know much about "nerving". Does the horse have any other sensations so that it would know that it has a nail in its foot or other problem?
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New Member:
eveymb
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Posted on Sunday, Mar 12, 2017 - 1:57 am:
Thank you for your input Dr O and Laurie. I am adamant that this is a bad idea but my daughter and grand daughter are digging their heels in because the barn owner insists that she wouldn't sell a horse that was going to have problems down the road.
I have spent my entire adult life rescuing and rehabbing horses that were injured or abused (I'm a sucker for a sad eye) but since retiring I have not replaced the horses as they were lost to old age and illness. I am down to two horses now and am finding it physically more and more difficult to give them the care they need. Too many people can, without any guilt, flog a horse that should be retired just to line their pockets. I have advised my daughter to talk to a local vet who specializes in lameness issues and to get any paperwork on past surgery to take to him. Thank you again as I needed backup from an expert to assuage the anger everyone feels.
Laurie--- My understanding of nerving is that the nerves'ability to send pain sensation from the damaged tendon or the navicular bone is eliminated. I think that other sensations might be dulled but are still felt. (Dr O would know more) The problem I have is that the damage is usually ongoing even tho the horse feels no pain. I feel the mare could abruptly rupture her tendon during a spin or sliding stop and break her leg or have my grand daughter fly off and break her neck.Either scenario would be disastrous.
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Member:
lsweeney
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Posted on Sunday, Mar 12, 2017 - 3:38 pm:
My heart says buy the horse, and turn it into a pasture ornament. Then buy another horse. ;-)
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Monday, Mar 13, 2017 - 9:46 am:
Yes Yvette is right about the effects of nerving: in general sensation arriving from the heel area is greatly diminished while less so as you go toward the toe. The exact effects depend on how high on the pastern the nerving is done (the higher the more profound the desensitization) and anatomical variation in the path of the nerves.
DrO
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Member:
lsweeney
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Posted on Monday, Mar 13, 2017 - 11:38 pm:
Thank you.
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New Member:
eveymb
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Posted on Thursday, Mar 16, 2017 - 6:11 pm:
Hi There, I would have responded sooner but my computer was on the fritz. My daughter has spoken to veterinarians here, on your advice, and has finally realized that this horse was a bad idea.Thank you for your input and having my back in this matter.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Saturday, Mar 18, 2017 - 10:53 am:
An easy call Yvette and glad to hear you dodged this one. This horse may out compete you for awhile but is not worth the loss of sleep worrying when he might break down.
DrO
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