Best head shaking pollen supplement?

tashcat

tashcat

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Hi all,

Have concluded that horse's head shaking is due to pollen (more specifically I think rape seed).

I was wondering if anyone had any experience with supplements and which have proved to be the most effective?

Been considering PolleneX (Global Herbs), Shake Relief (NAF) and Shaker Gard (Equine America) but open to any suggestions.

Thank you in advance!:)
 
Sorry I can't help as I haven't tried any yet due to horse only recently showing signs of being irritated by pollen, I have had some success with a nose net but I'd be interested to hear opinions on supplements too!
Does yours wear a nosenet and if so have you noticed it helps much? Mine seems much happier with his on, most of the time!
 
My mare suffers from this too, I'm trying different Nose-Nets on her, but have no knowledge/experience of supplements helping, I have been advised to use a human antihistamine for a previous horse, but that didn't help a lot.
 
I have a head shaker. I have no idea what causes it but presuming some sort of pollen as pretty much stopped over winter.
I got him last May and he started a few days after arriving and was quite severe, so ended up throwing pretty much everything at him to try and control it.
He wore a fly veil, nose net (le mieux) and was given PollenX and antihistamines.
This kept it manageable.
Over the winter I stopped everything. as the warmer weather kicked in the nose net went back on, followed by the fly veil. he is now also on Hack Up Bespoke head shaking supplement. (the pollenX did seem to work but had trouble getting a reliable supply, so am now trying hack up. again it seems to be helping but it is not a cure)
He is fine when being schooled but does head toss a little when being hacked so may yet put him back on the antihistamines.
I think his is tree pollen as he started so early and seems to be worse in wooded areas - is perfectly fine riding along rape fields
 
mavandkaz said:
I have a head shaker. I have no idea what causes it but presuming some sort of pollen as pretty much stopped over winter.
I got him last May and he started a few days after arriving and was quite severe, so ended up throwing pretty much everything at him to try and control it.
He wore a fly veil, nose net (le mieux) and was given PollenX and antihistamines.
This kept it manageable.
Over the winter I stopped everything. as the warmer weather kicked in the nose net went back on, followed by the fly veil. he is now also on Hack Up Bespoke head shaking supplement. (the pollenX did seem to work but had trouble getting a reliable supply, so am now trying hack up. again it seems to be helping but it is not a cure)
He is fine when being schooled but does head toss a little when being hacked so may yet put him back on the antihistamines.
I think his is tree pollen as he started so early and seems to be worse in wooded areas - is perfectly fine riding along rape fields
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I wrote my reply whilst rushing so didnt read this. Thanks for sharing. Im looking forward to the hack up product arriving. I schooled last night ... well i went into the school for a bit ... there is a difference, lol! And noticed she wasnt showing head shaking signs but i still had her nose net on.

Ive seen some head shaking videos and my god the horses are actually dangerous! I feel so sorry for them. It breaks my heart seeing my girl grunt and groan and headshake round a hack when she loves her hacking so with the nose net and now a supplement I am hoping she is more comfortable.
 
I have used human antihistamines in the past with reasonable success (tesco own brand and non drowsy just in case!). The biggest change was Bowen therapy though, his allergies just seemed to get up and bog off and he became a much happier horse for it.
 
Butterbear said:
I have used human antihistamines in the past with reasonable success (tesco own brand and non drowsy just in case!). The biggest change was Bowen therapy though, his allergies just seemed to get up and bog off and he became a much happier horse for it.
Click to expand...

Would love to know more?
 
Ok, so Bowen is primarily a remedial therapy that catalyses the bodies own healing processes and helps it to find its way back into balance. It is holistic so looks at the whole of the horse and treats without reference to a named condition so enabling the body to 'fix' things in its own order according to its individual 'blue print'. I bought my boy as a very overweight, sweet itch covered cob fresh over from Ireland from a dealer with no history other than a guesstimate of age 7, 14 years ago. He was covered in more scabs than mane or tail or coat generally and headshook when being ridden and could be observed doing so when out in the field or even in the stable when something got up his nose. He was seemingly very sensitive and allergic to the world! When leading him he would bury his nose into my back and either rub the irritation otherwise it was like he was trying to hide it from allergens, all I could do was to ease things as best as possible. I tried lots of supplements, nose nets, showjumping flyveils all of which sort of worked but only sort of. I started giving him antihistamines which seemed to help fairly well to the point where things were manageable combined with above but far from ideal. I came across Bowen about 10 years ago and he had one course of 3 consecutive treatments each a week apart and was significantly happier and continued to improve gradually with a few intermittent treatments and then he had another block of three about 6/8 months after the first and has had them intermittently since but less frequently. If you saw him in the field today with a full mane and tail and no noticeable headshaking you'd think my back story was a total fib. Sometimes he puts his nose into me but this seems to be comforting rather than anything else these days. He is still what I would describe as sensitive but sensitive is fine by me as that seems to be his blue print, but he isn't suffering from allergies anymore, I don't supplement with anything in his feeds except the odd something for his increasing age related big old horse joint stiffness over winter. Hth. Any other questions feel free to ask x
 
Not head-shaking but my horse did start coming in snorting his nose and itching it on his leg a couple of weeks ago. For the previous few summers he has developed a really bad cough at this time of year which I think may have been pollen related. To be fair his breathing is a bit dodgy anyway. I have found pollenx didn't seem to help him much but I do think the global herbs airways plus has helped. I have also been giving him piriton this year and the snorting and itching has stopped. So far this year he hasn't developed a major cough either (touch wood!).
 
Butterbear said:
Ok, so Bowen is primarily a remedial therapy that catalyses the bodies own healing processes and helps it to find its way back into balance. It is holistic so looks at the whole of the horse and treats without reference to a named condition so enabling the body to 'fix' things in its own order according to its individual 'blue print'. I bought my boy as a very overweight, sweet itch covered cob fresh over from Ireland from a dealer with no history other than a guesstimate of age 7, 14 years ago. He was covered in more scabs than mane or tail or coat generally and headshook when being ridden and could be observed doing so when out in the field or even in the stable when something got up his nose. He was seemingly very sensitive and allergic to the world! When leading him he would bury his nose into my back and either rub the irritation otherwise it was like he was trying to hide it from allergens, all I could do was to ease things as best as possible. I tried lots of supplements, nose nets, showjumping flyveils all of which sort of worked but only sort of. I started giving him antihistamines which seemed to help fairly well to the point where things were manageable combined with above but far from ideal. I came across Bowen about 10 years ago and he had one course of 3 consecutive treatments each a week apart and was significantly happier and continued to improve gradually with a few intermittent treatments and then he had another block of three about 6/8 months after the first and has had them intermittently since but less frequently. If you saw him in the field today with a full mane and tail and no noticeable headshaking you'd think my back story was a total fib. Sometimes he puts his nose into me but this seems to be comforting rather than anything else these days. He is still what I would describe as sensitive but sensitive is fine by me as that seems to be his blue print, but he isn't suffering from allergies anymore, I don't supplement with anything in his feeds except the odd something for his increasing age related big old horse joint stiffness over winter. Hth. Any other questions feel free to ask x
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Thanks Butterbear thats great. I've found someone locally and organising a date for the to come out. Its not invasive, it doesnt cost the earth and with a recommendation like yours I think its worth a go, thank you :) Now my dilemma is the Hack Up has arrived this morning (I ordered it yesterday just before lunch so either very quick making up my personalised concoction or a bit 'generic' and actually off the shelf!) so combining the two wont give me a very clear idea on whats worked/ not worked!
 
My wee guy has a pollen allergy and I ride with a nose net which is very effective . He gets pollenx in liquid form from global herbs which I find helps and he wears a fly mask with a nose net in the field . Done this for about 10 years and it seems to work !
 
Thanks for sharing Butterbear - interesting reading. Can I just ask please, did your horse headshake throughout the year or was it seasonal when the pollen came out. I am currently giving mine antihistamines together with face mask and nosenet and he has good days and bad but I find the bad days very stressful as there is nothing I can do. Vet has been and I am talking to him re our next course of action.
 
I'm currently using PollenEase from Equinatural. Carol is very helpful and will advise you on the best product if you tell her your symptoms.
 
Antw23UK, would love to hear if you've had any success?

I'm quite certain its rape, and he has good and bad days. He's actually very good to ride, and doesn't shake much at all. We do ride early however and he's stabled over night. If I ride later in the morning, I notice that he's worse. He's now got a nose net for riding just in case.

Been giving him pollenex and not hugely noticed a difference, but need to give it a bit more time I think! Also about to purchase him a long fly mask to cover his pink nose and hopefully help with the pollen in the field.

More than anything I'm worried that it makes him agitated and the head shaking is making him sore - he's had some pole tension issues in the past poor chap. Physio soon I think!

Is it me or do cases of pollen allergies seem to be increasing each year?!
 
I'm looking into Newmarket Equine salt therapy, we tried one session when they came out to a friend and my chap really enjoyed it. Now thinking of booking the recommnded three sessions.
 
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