Answer

By Your Horse

The navicular bone is a small bone at the back of a horse’s foot. The deep flexor tendon runs around it before joining the pedal bone. In navicular disease, the blood supply to this bone is reduced, causing it to crumble, weaken and become rough. It causes lameness, usually seen as a shortening of the stride of both front feet, although one is usually more affected than the other. It was once considered incurable, but can now be controlled in some cases, via medication and good farriery.