Can feeding practices help to prevent or treat navicular syndrome?
Navicular syndrome is not directly caused by feeding practices, but as with any condition affecting the legs and feet, an overweight horse puts excessive strain on its musculoskeletal system. With the strong correlation between heavy-bodied, small-footed horses and navicular syndrome, common sense should warn owners not to allow their horses to become too fat. Pasture intake can be limited by muzzling or dry-lotting horses, and easy-keeping animals can be fed a low-calorie supplement pellet such as All-Phase, thus providing essential vitamins and minerals without an overabundance of calories. Increasing exercise is also beneficial for keeping horses in trim condition. Although turnout and light exercise are preferred to stall rest for navicular horses, heavy work is usually ruled out as a conditioning measure for these animals. Keeping a horse at a mid-range body weight may delay the onset of navicular syndrome in susceptible individuals, and can also help to keep affected animals more
