Horse Navicular Syndrome Pain Management

Navicular syndrome causes chronic forelimb pain in horses and requires long-term management. Evidence-based approaches combining medication, shoeing and management improve welfare.

Key Facts

Navicular syndrome involves pain arising from the navicular bone, bursa, ligaments and distal flexor tendon
Bilateral forelimb lameness with a short pottery gait is typical and worsens on hard surfaces and circles
MRI provides definitive diagnosis of specific structures involved guiding targeted treatment
Corrective shoeing with extended heels or egg bar shoes reduces tendon pressure on the navicular bone
Bisphosphonate treatment (tiludronate or clodronate) reduces bone resorption and provides significant pain relief

Welfare Considerations

Navicular syndrome causes chronic pain that limits horses from performing comfortably in any discipline and affects daily activity and comfort. The condition is manageable but rarely curable requiring long-term welfare commitment. Horses that are pain-managed successfully and worked appropriately within their comfort can have good welfare and quality of life. Those pushed to perform beyond their comfortable ability suffer significantly.

What You Can Do

Seek specialist lameness assessment including MRI for horses showing bilateral forelimb lameness
Implement corrective shoeing as directed by a vet-farrier collaborative assessment
Discuss bisphosphonate treatment with your vet for cases not adequately controlled by shoeing alone
Modify work to avoid consistently hard surfaces, tight circles and work that reliably causes discomfort
Monitor for pain signs regularly and adjust management as the condition progresses or responds to treatment