Nerve or not to nerve?


I am looking for people that have dealt with this situation before. I bought a great head horse (with out a vet check). That was my first mistake. I was told that he had side bone. This was something that I could have dealt with but the money was right so I bought him. Come to find out he is nevicular (*sp) in his right front foot. I have use butte on him and that does the job but makes him hard mouthed and I have to ride him more than I would like to get him where he needs to be. I have a vet. Appointment scheduled to get him nerved but this is a first for me. I have never done it before and wanted to hear what others have to say. According to the vet he will loose all feeling in his frog but will be able to feel his hoof wall and should work just great for me. Anyone have this done and have the horse work great for them afterwards? Anyone have any problems after having one nerved? I don’t want to hear stories that are 2nd and 3rd person. Just the real deal. Thanks!! Todd

I have to tell you. I wasn't drinking when I posted this but my spelling will tell you different. Sorry troops.

I have a sterrwresting horse that has the same problem. I put jim keith performance shoes with elevated heels and rolled toes. After about two shoeings I don't have to give any bute. I am a firm believer on try everything before you do the last resort. My vet considers nerveing the last resort.

Chuck,

Thanks for the reply. I will have to give that a try. I keep his heel just as long as I can and I do have his toe rolled. My vet says the same thing. I took him to the vet last week and they did a nerve block. It only lasts 3 hours but when that was done he was 100%. The vet told me to go ride him and see how he responds to it because it has the same effect as nerving only short term. I didn't rope off of him but I loped around etc and he was 100%. He didn't trip or anything. When I turn him out I can see the pain that he is in even at a walk so I think I'm leaning towards nerving him but I wanted to see if anyone that had had it done had any success or problems. Thanks for the shoeing tip though. I will give that a try before I take him in.

Take care!

Todd

My uncle is a vet and nerving is concidered a last resort in his eyes too. I'v heard of success with it and I'v heard horror stories with it. We had a race horse that was nerved nad broke her coffin bone racing and finished the race and won but NEVER raced again and was crippled from then on. There is a very good vet in Versailes KY at the Equine Podiatry Center named Dr. Redden and he deals with alot of nevicular horses and had great success with shoeing. Maybe worth a shot. Good Luck!!

Are you positive it is navicular as navicular is a bilateral disease, therefore should be showing signs in both front feet not just one. You may want a second opinion. If in fact it is navicular, a good farrier can do wonders and there are a lot of good meds for navicular. I had a horse that I was told was navicular by 2 vets, took him to LSU and found the only problem was contracted heels. I was going to have him nerved just to keep him comfortable in the pasture. Nerving should be a last resort, but there are ALOT of good and well known horses that have been nerved and are winning.

Allen Bach bought dunny from Steve Northcott for a pile a few years ago and he was crippled bad w/ navicular. He nerved him and got a few years out of him.I have a horse now that I put wedge shoes on, and he is great. I wouldn't be afraid to nerve a horse if the vet has done plenty of them.

I want to thank everyone for their input. I ended up getting my horse nerved. They were able to take over 3" of nerve out of both front feet. The vet told me that in most cases when a horse has that much nerve normaly the nerve doesn't grow back. I have been walking my horse to keep him active and I can already see a huge difference. Before the surgery even at a walk he was reserved and didn't move freely. After talking with a lot of my roping friends I found out how many of the top horses out there have been nerved and work great. I had already tried the different types of shoeing and that didn't help. Once again thanks for all the input and for anyone else out there on the fence about geting your horse nerved I would have to say take it to a vet that has done this thousands of times and think about the pain that your horse is in and try and help him out. He will thank you for it. There is nothing worse than watching your animal in pain.

Todd

Hey Todd it's probably youre trailer come down here to OKC and let me get you in about a 75,000 dollar trailer it might not help youre horse but it will sure help my beer budget,call me 888-653-3768. Todd Barlow

I am no expert, but I do know that a good shoer can do a lot. I would try that first and see before going to the nerving. I know that can make them stumbly sometimes.