This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Diseases of Horses » Lameness » Diseases of the Hoof » Overview of Diagnosis and Diseases of the Foot »
  Discussion on Chiropractor says navicular area is tender
Author Message
Member:
Mleeb

Posted on Thursday, Jul 6, 2006 - 11:58 am:

I have a 3 yo QH that I started under saddle last summer, and returned to riding again about 8 weeks ago. Due to poor weather, we had a slow start, and only in the last 2 weeks has he had regular riding.

For several months now I have noticed that when he is walking (in the pasture, not being ridden) he has a movement with his front right leg that is just barely there. It's hard to describe as it is so subtle you're not sure you've seen it, but I think it is a forward sliding motion, and perhaps slightly outward, that appears about the half way point in stepping that leg forward. Like I said, it's subtle, and it's taken me months of watching to see if it's even there. There's no head bob, or other sign of lamness, no pulse, no swelling, no heat, no sign of injury. It never gets worse, and it never goes away. I can't detect it when riding at any gait, and I hadn't mentioned it to anyone. A friend came over the other night while I was riding him and hopped on to give him a try. When she finished, she mentioned something odd about his movement on the right front. All she had done was walk and trot him.

I had a chiropractor over last night to adjust my arthritic gelding, and asked him to do the 3 yo as well because of the RF. He also could see the "Slide" and agreed it was subtle. He adjusted the first vetebrae behind the ears, another half way down the neck, and commented that some tightness that had been in his withers was now gone, but there appeared to be muscle soreness remaining there. When he moved on to the front legs, he manipulated the FR for a bit and said it seemed sore in the navicular area (how he can pinpoint that, I have no idea). He did the other front, found it okay, and returned to the FR, confirming soreness.

So, that's what I know. My question now is this...is this worth worrying about? Should I be getting a check up at the vet clinic, and if so, how far does it need to go? X-rays? This just seems so vague, I'm not sure where to go from here. Could it be just an abscess that some soaking will help with? He is otherwise healthy and active and in good shape with nice feet, and I thought he was my only sound horse to date. The thought of another lame horse is very discouraging, and the vet bills even more so.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Jul 7, 2006 - 9:36 am:

Nor do I know how he would detect this Michele, in fact I will postulate that this, much like the other diagnosis he is making is likely to be...ill informed. If your horse is benefitting from this I suspect that he is getting a good massage, and possibly some passive stretching. Nothing wrong with this but we should call it what it is.

But none of this means that you might not have some lameness problem. For more on observing lameness see, Diseases of Horses » Lameness » Localizing Lameness in the Horse.
DrO
Home Page | Top of Page | Join Us!
Horseadvice.com is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Horse Training in Stokesdale NC