Navicular syndrome is a common cause of chronic forelimb lameness in horses, causing significant and often progressive pain that substantially impairs welfare and athletic function if not appropriately managed.
Navicular syndrome causes chronic pain that many horses endure for years before adequate management is implemented. The condition progresses if undertreated, and horses that are worked through pain show stress indicators, altered behaviour, and physical deterioration. The welfare challenge is that early navicular disease is subtle — horses may be labelled as "uncooperative" or "lazy" rather than recognised as painful. Precise MRI-based diagnosis allows targeted treatment that addresses specific pathology rather than applying generic protocols. Palmar digital neurectomy relieves pain effectively but carries welfare concerns: desensitised horses cannot feel injuries in the operated area, and catastrophic tendon rupture is a recognised complication. Horses managed with remedial farriery and appropriate analgesia while remaining in light work fare better for longer.