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Balanced Hooves = Balanced Horse

© Gwenyth Browning Jones Santagate

I don't believe that we treat *the hoof*. We work and treat the entire body and mind of the horse. So, to say that there is one thing that causes navicular is not correct. It is a combination of imbalances, forces and leverages that have gotten out of whack and been out of whack for awhile. That imbalance has, by the time its affected the navicular, has also affected the rest of the body in some manner. Correct the mechanics (shape, lengths, widths, breakover, landing, balance etc.) of the hooves and if the rest of the horse and environment is in balance as much as possible, the issue should resolve if it has not degenerated to the point of no return. i.e. -- spurs on the navicular that are shredding the DDFT to bits and pieces.

The hoof is a marvel of science. It is amazing that this little, tiny, piece of nature's design can withstand 12,000# of pressure landing on this 4" round hoof for the 1000# horse jumping over 2 ft. of log. It's amazing that the skinny little bones do not shatter to pieces with the weight and leverages and pressures of the horse and its movements. It is designed in balance specifically for its job. When that design gets altered then it stresses the unit. When the design is allowed to recover to its natural state then the unit will recover, as well. Of course, again, there are points of no return but I would hope that, as hoofcare providers, that we would take it all seriously enough to be preventative, rather than reactive. Of course when we're inheriting the results of prior abuses or neglect then we can't always be preventative at the start. But we can help to correct and THEN be preventative with diligence and care.