anyone elses seasonal headshaker...

[treacle_beastie]

...headshaking a lot lately? Mine normally headshakes april-oct or thereabouts but wears an ear veil and nose net which contrils it to the point where I don't really notice it. Shes always keen to rub her head when ive taken the bridle off. Lately ive noticed shes got really bad. Shes just got an ear veil on but no nose net but that is normal for this time of year.
She had her teeth done in november.
Ive changed her noseband in the last couple of weeks to a drop which I do every winter when I need a bit extra control.
She has also moved yards and changed from hay to haylage.

She also had a nosebleed after fast work yesterday which shes never had before and she has become a little sensitive around the ears.
So there are a fair few things that have changed which could trigger it but I just wondered if anyone elses headshakers are unseasonally bad and if it could be weather related as its been so mild.
Any suggestions welcome though will go through each one trying to see if I can eliminate the trigger. If not im thinking vet visit to look in ears and up nose.

 

[Jo1987]

I'm afraid not - mine is unrideable without his nose net, which he wears all year round, but has been no different to normal this year.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Did you have bright low winter sunshine? Some head shakers are bad in it. Perhaps try one of the riding veils where the mesh cover the eyes.

 

[treacle_beastie]

yes i did tiddlypom in both cases.

 

[flintmeg]

Mine has usually stopped by now. He is still twitching, not badly so am able to ride without a net. For him he has visual triggers as well, he has shaked at snow flakes :O.
I think as it has been milder there are still files around which are his main trigger. He's a lot better in cold weather, the Colder the better, in the summer I ride him with a nose net and fly mask or he will go insane.

 

[treacle_beastie]

yes flintmeg, bugs are the main trigger for mine too and she also shakes with snowflakes!! there were a lot of midges the other day..im thinking its going to be a combination of factors setting her off just very annoying as I enjoy winter riding with no headshaking normally!

 

[Darkwater]

My mare is still headshaking and has normally stopped by October or November at the latest unless it is snowing. I too have no idea why she's suffering so late this year. Hers is usually fairly easily controlled with a nosenet so I've just popped it back onto her bridle for now but with the wind we've been it doesn't always stay put which is annoying!

 

[Greylegs]

Mine was a bitifa shaker as well when I got him and couldn't work it out til I changed his brow band for a much larger one. Turned out it was pinching him! Worth a try possibly.

 

[lara b]

Mine has stopped shaking as per normal but is rubbing his nose a little more I think. Also his sweetitch doesn't seem to have gone as much as usual so maybe more flies about?

 

[lurcherlu]

Flintmeg I was hoping you had seen this

 

[flintmeg]

Flintmeg I was hoping you had seen this

Lol yep I have was just thinking about Boxing Day. He only shook a couple of times even when we were in degibna, I swear it's 'selective' when He notices or when he's not focused lol

 

[lurcherlu]

Yeh he did, it's odd isn't it....

 

[cheeryplatypus]

Mine has also still headshaking this year. Even at night! Vet may be referring him for a full work up. Ulcers have been mentioned as a possible cause, I wondered if it could be related to having grazing for longer this year as the weather has been better.