Navicular Bursa fluid

Question
We are leasing a QH Appendix with a Navicular issue, "Mac-Daddy" special shoes (egg bar with pads, maybe?) who frequently trips unless you are really holding his head up while riding.  He is frequently lame or a little off but usually works out of it after a few minutes. He has had everything done to him to make him more comfortable including shooting his hocks.  Now he is completely lame and off for 6 mo. due to bone on bone or bone on ligament/Bursa fluid dried up. Would you recommend Transfer Factor for Navicular?  If so, how much and what type? I sell it because I use it myself but am curious as to whether I should recommend it to the horse's owner.  Any other recommendations to help him?

Answer
Hi Karon -- yes, Transfer Factor would help the body build up the immune system to help ward off infections; don't know how helpful with replenishment or repair of bursa/bursa fluid.  Bone is a dynamic structure that's continually remodeling itself so given the correct parameters it is entirely possible for the navicular to repair itself.

I am not a farrier and while shoes can help in many situations I've had success with REMOVING the shoes and getting the hooves correctly balanced and leveled. Combine that with a change in diet to include live, fresh forages and plenty of turnout for movement, I've had 99% success (over a decades time frame) with getting 'navicular' horses back into work. The 1% actually is a horse that was sold prior to complete rehab so I just can't say yea or nay with that one. But, he was well on his way to recovery when he was sold after just 3 trim appointments.

That being said, I don't know if you are willing to go 'that barefoot' route ???

Tripping *is* a 'symptom' of Navicular syndrome but also a symptom of toes that are too long so that may be compounding the issue.

TF certainly wouldn't hurt!  :)  But change in diet and making impeccably sure the hooves are balanced and leveled within each hoof's own parameters will make a big difference, too.

:) -- Gwen