Navicular syndrome is a common cause of chronic forelimb lameness in horses. Effective management can significantly extend quality working life and improve welfare for affected horses.
Navicular syndrome causes chronic pain that progressively worsens without management. Horses that are retired to pasture without treatment often deteriorate, as the lack of controlled exercise and corrective farriery fails to manage the condition. The welfare-positive approach combines diagnostic precision (to understand exactly what is causing the pain), corrective farriery, pharmaceutical management, and appropriate work. Neurectomy — cutting the nerve to remove pain sensation — is a last resort that provides comfort but removes the horse's ability to signal further pathology in the desensitized area. Post-neurectomy horses require particular care and monitoring.