What to do with my horse?

I'm all for barefoot when the situation calls for it, but it may be that the corrective shoeing is just what he needed. Shoes or a trimming method that helps the horse to break over easier is exactly what is called for when a horse has navicular. And navicular disease causes a horse to have a short stride. The heel pain they feel is what makes them shorten their stride. So maybe you were blaming the corrective shoes for the short stride when that wasn't the case. I'm only suggesting you consider going back to the corrective shoes because it sounds like removing them made his pain worse. Sure it seemed for a little bit like he was better because you backed off his workload while he adjusted to the new angle of his feet, but when you started working him more he's showing severe signs of pain. Unless your vet had done an MRI to really see what's going on in the navicular area, simply having your vet "look at" him can't tell you if the navicular disease is worse. But navicular disease is progressive. It will not get better, only worse. You can take steps to manage the pain and make the horse useful for a while, but eventually the horse will be in too much pain to be ridden hard, then eventually at all.

To be honest I think the horse is trying to tell you he's in pain. You can feel the stiffness, and I think the bucking is his way of telling you that he hurts. To be honest I would start all over with another horse that is sound. If you keep working with this horse, you'll only get more attached and it's not worth it. It's not fair to the horse or you. I know it's terrible to give up on a horse you love, but it may be the best thing for both of you. I've been there, and I sympathize. Trust me, I know how you feel.

If his teeth were bad, they need to floated asap, that can be the issue and it might just be a coincidence that he's now started bucking with bare feet. A teeth issue can cause a horse to buck and act up from the pain.

As for barefoot.....there are a lot of people calling themselves trimmers, but they really are not that educated. If yours was you'd of been told about using Easy Care Glove Boots for the transition.

All good trimmers carry these and will tell you about them and based on his history, would probably insist on using them.

I'd find a real barefoot trimmer and get a real assessment.

If the vet did an X ray and did a hoof test and didn't see anything wrong, that doesn't mean that the trim was not the problem. Vets aren't trimmers.

Only a qualified trimmer can really get this horse going well.

I've dealt with this too many times through my horse training clients not to believe in barefooting 100%.

Go to http://hoofrehab.com/ and find a barefoot trimmer in your area through their list. Email em, see what they have to say.

Also...because he had shoes before...does he have thrush? Can you take the hoof pick and stick it DEEP into the hoof grooves (including between the heel bulbs)? Does the horse react? If yes, then he may have thrush bad.....shoes will allow him to not feel the pain of that....when he goes barefoot....he feels the pain and it hurts.

Depending on how bad the thrush is, yes, it can cause big issues.

The closest Yahoo! Answers has ever come to suggesting the proper class (in relation to the pony phase) is 'Horse Racing'. UGH! My dream horse might be a dapple gray, eleven yr historic Hanoverian PSG schoolmaster. Woot.

Have you had his teeth checked?

Quite often bad behaviour can be attributed to pain in the horses mouth.

A horse in pain can often resemble an ill trained or green horse as they have no other way of showing their discomfort. Does he throw his head a lot, drop or gorge his feed, appear to be yawning and holding his head at an odd angle?

As you say it could very well be his feet but trust me, it's worth getting an equine dentist out just to be sure.

And can'y really tell what your asking for. But from my mind it about his feet.

I think you should just let him go barefoot. It's nicer for the horses, and will let his hooves grow in a natural way.

ohh...very sad