Pilot Study : Bioformula Treatment for Navicular Syndrome
One day Dr. Garber came across an advertisement in Equus magazine for a drug called OsPhos, which is a prescription drug used to treat horses suffering from navicular syndrome (a disease that causes lameness in a horse’s forelimbs). Seeing that OsPhos is a biosphosphate drug—a prescription medication used to treat osteoporosis in humans, he thought to himself, that drug has so many unwanted side effects for people, it can’t be good for horses. Dr. Garber had already developed a bioformula for treating very similar bone issues in people. He thought, perhaps if he fine-tuned it for equine physiology, maybe it will help this condition as well.
Realizing the best way to find out would be to start off with an informal pilot study, he reached out to his veterinarian, equine chiropractor and mentor, Dr. Mark Meddleton, a DVM in Corrales, NM, and asked him if he could try out his new equine bioformula on some of Mark’s clients’ horses. Dr. Garber provided his equine Bioformula to several of Dr. Meddleton’s clients. Dr. Meddleton conducted periodic lameness exams to monitor the horses’ progress. The results proved better than either doctor expected.
"Dr. Garber had talked with me about the success he was having on horses using some of the bioformulas he had originally developed for people. He asked me if I would be interested in collaborating with him on a small pilot study using his Equine Bone & Joint bioformula on horses with Navicular Syndrome. I was indeed interested, and intrigued, so we enrolled several of my client’s horses in the study. I performed lameness exams before and after the administration of Dr. Garber’s formula. Coming from a medical background, although open to alternative treatments, I was quite pleased with the rapid onset and degree of improvement in these horses. I have since recommended the bioformula to a number of clients with similar results.”
– Dr. Mark Meddleton, DVM
Meddleton Equine Clinic
Equine Sports Medicine and Regenerative Therapies
Dr. Garber presents Navicular Protocol at AVCA national conference
Dr. Garber was thrilled with the success of his Equine Bone & Joint bioformula on horses who’d been suffering with navicular syndrome. Though having so many other great modalities in his armamentarium, Dr. Garber knew he could use some of these to do even more to ease the suffering of these equines and help them get back to doing their jobs. He put together a treatment protocol that consisted of his Equine Bone & Joint bioformula, a specific foot adjustment that he developed to mobilize the navicular bone and a kinesiology taping technique to support the involved soft tissue structures. Dr. Garber was invited to present his protocol at the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association’s annual conference on two separate occasions. These talks led to other equine practitioners across the country learning his navicular protocol and using his bioformulas in their practices.
“My gelding developed a calcium deposit around his pastern joint which caused him to be stiff and slow going downhill, after 4-6 weeks on the Maxwell Pet’s Equine Bone & Joint, he started to move faster downhill, and his ride is much smoother! I definitely will continue to give him this formula to maintain it.”
– Valerie Grison-Alsop
Founder & Executive Director
Give Us The Floor
“I met Dr. Stuart in 2019. I was a trainer and lesson provider and worked with he and his wife. Finding out that Doc was a chiropractor was a match made in heaven. I told him about my horse Sully who always needed SOMETHING. Well, after a few conversations we chatted about him having a high ringbone in both front legs. Doc recommended trying (at the time) a formula he had come up with for horses with Navicular ...I said sure, it's all natural so no risk to try. 6-8 months later I took Sully to be x-rayed to see how much more damage had been done and what steps were needed. The vet turned his x-ray monitor to me and said... ‘This horse doesn't have Ringbone.’ There was ZERO evidence that he EVER had it. Prior, Sully had gone through injections, different supportive shoes... the whole nine yards and after approximately 8 months on Dr. Garber’s Navicular formula... his ringbone was gone. Sully lived 5 more years with no shoes, or injections till he passed away at 26 years old in May 2023. Dr. Garber’s formula gave him back his life.
We have also used this formula on a few other horses in rehab, with surgical procedures to the feet, navicular surgeries, bone issues, etc. Forever West Performance Horses highly recommends Equine Bone & Joint. Thank you, Doc!“
– Lia Jessen
Founder & Head Trainer
Forever West Performance Horses
