by Judy F » Fri Jul 29, 2005 7:46 pm
Okay, Navicular. For some, navicular &/or bute are up there with Lord Voldemort.#ed_op#br#ed_cl#
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Navicular is a now understood as being a group of diseases with similar
symptoms. For most horses, its arthritis of the foot bones and
does respond to bute, regular work, soft ground and corrective footing.#ed_op#br#ed_cl#
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We had one horse here who had it, essentially from day 1, but put in
many useful years as a hack, school horse and quadrille horse as long
as he had is regular bute regime: 1 gr a day for 5 days, then off
for 2. He was not ridden on the 'off' days but did go out with
the boys until he managed to fracture his femur (2 months stall rest,
then hand walking, single turnout in the smaller paddock, never looked
back.)#ed_op#br#ed_cl#
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The thing with bute is the off time -- to give the horse's system a chance to recover.#ed_op#br#ed_cl#
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Take it slow, and don't give up.#ed_op#br#ed_cl#
To ride well is the mark of a gentleman. To ride too well is the sign of a mis-spent youth. Athena the owl in "Outfoxed" by Rita Mae Brown.
-- Distrust any enterprises that require new clothes. EM Forster