Why recreate the horse?
 

Try using
customer/main/navigation.tpl --

Make a copy (mod_nav.tpl) and add your own graphics and messages then place it in

customer/main/subcategories.tpl ---

Add a config item to your xcart database as:
INSERT INTO `xcart_config` VALUES ('page_nav', 'This is the toggle to switch mod_nav.tpl', 'N', 'General', 0, 'text');

Then in subcategories.tpl --
{if $config.General.page_nav eq 'N'}
{ include file="customer/main/navigation.tpl" }
{else}
{ include file="customer/main/mod_nav.tpl" }
{/if}

Now you can turn your mod off/on from the admin/general page