Cancel the Surgery for My Very Navicular Horse

Dear Dr. Teskey,

My name is Mona Elston and I am ready to have my horse nerved this Tuesday.  After a year of “corrective” or “therapeutic” shoeing, my horse is still lame.  The thought of nerving him makes me sick to my stomach (especially after I read your article “Bringing the Sparkle Back in Crystal’s Life”.  My reason for nerving him is to get him out of pain and give him some quality of life– I have another horse I can ride.  I am just tired of seeing him in pain.  I bought him when he was 5 ½, he is now 7 and he was lame 30 days after I bought him.  I suspect they gave him a “30 day” injection in the bursa before they dumped him because the x-rays showed that the navicular disease had been there for some time.  I don’t have horse property so I have to board him so I am trying to do the best that I can do for him.  Is there any way I can call you for a phone consultation and if so, what is your fee?  I am at my wit’s end. 

Thank you.

M

Hi M,

There's an awful lot of information out there for you to read and explore.  As you've discovered, the surgery is simply a "cover up" for your horse's real problems.  You'll need to find someone in your area that is familiar with natural hoof care and can help you with getting some hoof boots.  Or, you can simply get some boots yourself as a very good start.  By exercising your horse in boots with the metal shoes pulled off, you may very well notice improvement immediately.  Visit EasyCare's website  to look at the various boots available.  Either the "Epic" boots or the "Old Mac" boots would likely work well for you.  Read Pete Ramey's website if you haven't already, as well as continue to do computer searches and find other sites that have good information.  Many sites have lists of trimmers by region.  Do a search for "natural hoof care trimmer" to find some of these- Click here is a to see a good one.

 

You're on the right track.  Keep up your research.  Get some boots BEFORE pulling the shoes- then get the horse's shoes pulled off. Do NOT have the horse trimmed at this time.  Walk/ride your horse with the boots on and you'll likely notice improvement very quickly, as metal shoes are not only painful for a horse but PREVENT healing instead of helping like many professionals will tell you.

 

Take care,

Dr. Tom T.

 

Dr. Teskey,

Thank you very very much.  I have canceled the nerving and I will try pulling Ziggy’s shoes and putting on the Old Macs and find a certified barefoot trimmer.  It can’t do any more harm and if nothing else, I am hoping it will help.  Nerving is definitely not the answer. 

Thank God I found your website and learned more about the nerving procedure.  It sounds like I dodged a bullet.

Thank you for your time,

M

Good for you, Mona.  I believe you'll have good success, and learn some very cool things over the next few months.  Knowledge is empowering and you and your horses will be better for it.

Dr. T