I’m looking at a just-backed rising 4 year old passed sound in her vet check and labeled a normal medical risk for a sport career. Her x-rays look good but her navicular bones are graded 2 (satisfactory) out of 4 (with no remark being best and 1 being “good”). I would not be planning to do overly much with her this year and would allow her more time to mature (though of course I know her x-days aren’t getting better with time 
). I also have faith in my farrier. However, she would be purchased with hopes for higher level showjumping in the future. I’m wild about this horse but hesitating— what would you do?
I would send the x-rays and photos of the horse’s current feet to my farrier and get that person’s advice as well as the vet’s. If they disagreed on the presentation I would take my farrier’s opinion.
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Breed? Warmbloods typically have large navicular channels that in a QH or TB would signal caution but are totally normal in the larger WB feet.
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This. A LOT can be changed in this situation, almost entirely by the farrier.
This ^^
Also worth to notice if the horse has high-low syndrome, which could affect the navicular channels’ width. My vet & farrier both say that very few horses have perfectly identical hooves.
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For me and aiming horse towards a working career? No, I would not buy it with navicular changes. Horse has done no work, and certainly will not improve as career advances.
Sure you hear about the horse with terrible Xrays going on to a long and successful career. But you hear about them because horse is the EXCEPTION to the averages. Poor Xrays are usually good indicators of problems ahead. Once you pay to own such a horse you then get to try keeping him sound to use. His working life MAY be very short, which poor Xrays showed you. Maybe not a short life, but breaking down as you try moving up.
I want a good basic horse, no issues at age 4yrs, to invest my time and work in developing into a high level performer. It is like watching a person buy an older, well-used car, to fix up and race at the Indy 500. Why start with a damaged/worn vehicle and even THINK you can make it a winner at high levels of harsh competition? Might make a great FICTION story, but not a real life story.
I can’t tell you how many times I have watched folks ignore good advice from their paid equine health professionals. They get the horse thinking it will be a Disney movie ending. Instead everyone cries when horse breaks down, never really did any winning. Sorry if this sounds harsh, but I was taught to set goals, make good choices towards reaching those goals. Horse with navicular changes is unlikely to help me reach those goals on my limited budget, so I MUST pass on getting it.
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It would not deter me but I’ve also had experience with keeping a navicular horse sound through competition. X-rays can be a bad indicator of actually what’s going on; I’ve seen X-rays that looked like the horse should be crippled yet the horse is sound and competing, and I’ve seen X-rays where everything looked pretty normal but the horse was so lame they were duct taping padding to it’s feet and it was on double pain meds just to keep it upright.
You have to take into account more factors besides the x-ray; hoof size and quality, shape, and how the tendons look.
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But in order to have “navicular changes” you need to have a series of x rays over time. Big channels in a 4yo wb is really NBD if they are not symptomatic, and the vet did not specifically call out the issue here so they likely also don’t consider it an issue
Again, vet did not call it out as a risk, so they aren’t ignoring their advice.
I have vetted and purchased more than a few warmbloods in the past 20 years - several of them were noted as having enlarged channels, with the caveat that they see it a lot in warmbloods. Caudal heel pain was never an issue for any of them. There are lots of things I won’t touch, but this is not one I worry about when they otherwise have good feet.
OP, just call your vet and ask if you are concerned. I’m sure they will be happy to provide additional context.
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Maybe get a second opinion here? Are there earlier x rays for comparison? If its been awhile since these were taken can you reshoot new ones to create a comparison?
And consider consulting a specialist for that second opinion. It can be done virtually and the cost is nothing compared to the costs of maintaining a navicular horse in a regular training and show program year after year.
Depends on OPs budget and boarding situation. If its generous and can support more then one horse, no problem. If OP boards out and can only afford to keep one horse? Maybe its worth further investigation depending on OPs risk tolerance.
I have had 2 known navicular Hunters, one owned and age 8, one leased 17 year old. My budget allowed for the shoes, pads, meds but not sure I would knowingly acquire one, especially a young one looking at many years of care.
Anyway, its not such a black and white choice for many owners.
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I would buy the horse and never put shoes on it again. Find yourself a reputable barefoot trimmer who has rehabilitated navicular. Yes it’s a thing. Look it up. Shoes and pads may make the posture better but they will never let the hoof heal and if it doesn’t have symptoms now and you start loading all kinds of devices on it’s feet it will definitely have symptoms in the future. Can’t handle the thought of bare feet? Send me the info on the horse because it sounds like there might be a steal of a deal here.
If you’re buying something that had the naviculars graded in Europe, know that grading in Europe has trends. A few years ago, any minor defect in the hock was a 2 at a minimum and now you see hooks in 4 yo and OC’s that are all graded as 1’s or “normal risk.” Average naviculars a few years ago were all 1’s and now most are graded as 2’s. Most vets there and here will look at a 2 navicular and say it’s fine and give their blessing.
Obviously send them to a vet or two for review but don’t be worried about the score. It’s all relative.
I DEFINITELY would get an experienced second opinion on those films - someone who is used to warmbloods (if that is what this horse is). They often have enlarged channels, as wanderlust said, that may be nothing at all to worry about, but would raise a flag if seen in a TB or QH. I had a very sound draft cross I sold on at 10 with the PPE xrays I had done at 5 - the naviculars were literally identical and the horse had been eventing at Training, first flight fox hunting, and 2nd level dressage with no issues whatsoever. That’s just what his feet looked like. I did have a buyer’s vet (TB vet) pass based on the navicular films but no one else even blinked. Horse was sold to a good home and last I heard doing just as well there.
