Knowing all that, if someone simply looks at your horse and suggests that it has navicular disease, it's mostly an indication that that person may be one who jumps to conclusions. There are no cures for true navicular disease, that is, deterioration of the navicular bone. However, you should keep in mind that most horses probably don't have navicular disease. There are occasional side effects. Probably the most common is the formation of neuromas, whereby the nerve ends grow together in a big, painful ball under the skin.
Bad things can happen if a horse gets nerved for a navicular-appearing problem.
If a horse has a problem with the deep flexor tendon where it comes into the foot, for example, and that horse gets nerved, then that tendon can pull apart as it stresses a damaged area that has no feeling. The disease is so damning, and so over-diagnosed that it's worth not giving up too soon. David W. Ramey, D.V.M. received his DVM from Colorado State University in 1983. He handles all aspects of equine health care, including surgery and preventive medicine. Sixty percent of his practice is with show horses, and the rest with pleasure and performance horses.