Forward planning. Poll pressure/ cover 🤷🏻‍♀️ headshaking

poiuytrewq

poiuytrewq

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 April 2008
Messages
21,387
Location
Cotswolds
Visit site
My lovely idiot Ziggy, head shaker in summer and hideous to ride in winter is currently turned away. I’ll bring him into work again in Spring and see how we get on.
The usual head shaking help doesn’t help him. He can’t bear a nose net etc.
what does help is being touched between his ears!
If I lean reach forward and touch him he will stop shaking, obviously I can’t ride like this. I can also place a whip between his ears and roll it or just hold it and this calms him. I bought a Masta poll guard thing to fit to his bridle to try but it’s too big and messy I’ve not actually ridden in it as I think it may annoy rather than help.
He won’t wear an ear bonnet or hood that covers his face. So any idea of what I could fit to his bridle that will just be “there” not too intrusively but slight pressure he can feel, but that’s safe to ride and won’t effect the bridle.
 
Will he wear one of these? My horses love this, more so than standard ears. This is an XL on a quality 15.2hh. I bought it for the mare who had recurrent TMJ/poll issues until her dentistry issues were sorted out, and have continued to use it since. It doesn’t slip in use despite not having any straps or loops.

It’s the one without sound proofing.

IMG_1943.jpeg


www.equestrianhire.co.uk

Fenwick Liquid Titanium Ear Bonnet

Fenwick Liquid Titanium® Therapeutic Black Ear Bonnet is a wonderful tool for the performance horse who needs to relax and focus. It fits nicely under the bridle and is a breathable, moisture wicking fabric, so your horse will not sweat as much. Please note the XL is HUGE so you need to check...
www.equestrianhire.co.uk
 
If slight touch pressure between his ears seems to calm him, i wonder if you could experiment and make a large round or square bead on a strong string, that’s tied to the browband and headpiece, between the ears, with the bead sitting between the ears where he likes to be touched. See if that helps - It could then be upgraded to a better design.

Or maybe a piece of string leather that’s big knotted in the middle tied between the 2 bridle places, between the ears?
 
cauda equina said:
One of these?
www.premierequine.co.uk

Magni-Teque Magnetic Poll Band

Magnetic poll band for horses, easily attachable to a head collar. This magnet poll band has been engineered with vast research into horse magnet therapy and can help to maintain health in a range of areas.
www.premierequine.co.uk www.premierequine.co.uk
Click to expand...


Was going to suggest the ceramic version of this.

I have one I am not using if I can find it later do you want me to post it to you to try?
 
Ohh thank you all. Some good ideas to try. @Tiddlypom i wanted to try a titanium hood actually but thought they only came in a face mask style which he’d hate so this is interesting!
@I’m Dun I had thought of sticking the end of a schooling whip 😂 I think it needs more pressure though. (And he’d look stupids!)
EnduroRider said:
Old fashioned travelling poll guard?

www.ejwicks.co.uk

EJ Wicks French Poll Guard

Poll guard for protecting a horse's head during travel.
www.ejwicks.co.uk www.ejwicks.co.uk

Sure there would be one cheap secondhand somewhere.
Click to expand...
Never seen one like that! I can’t picture how it sits? Again a possibility (cheaper just incase!)
Slightlyconfused said:
Was going to suggest the ceramic version of this.

I have one I am not using if I can find it later do you want me to post it to you to try?
Click to expand...
Thank you! 😍 That would be amazing! He is turned away at the moment, I was just looking at ideas to bring him back into work.
I may give you a shout and see if you’re still not using it at the time if that’s ok?

He has regular body work yes. I’ve not tried acupuncture. It was on my list to try having been recommended by a few people. You need an actual qualified vet though I believe and I couldn’t find anyone locally- if anyone knows some one who covers my area I’d give it a try for certain.

Think that’s replied to all suggestions?!
 
poiuytrewq said:
Ohh thank you all. Some good ideas to try. @Tiddlypom i wanted to try a titanium hood actually but thought they only came in a face mask style which he’d hate so this is interesting!
@I’m Dun I had thought of sticking the end of a schooling whip 😂 I think it needs more pressure though. (And he’d look stupids!)

Never seen one like that! I can’t picture how it sits? Again a possibility (cheaper just incase!)

Thank you! 😍 That would be amazing! He is turned away at the moment, I was just looking at ideas to bring him back into work.
I may give you a shout and see if you’re still not using it at the time if that’s ok?

He has regular body work yes. I’ve not tried acupuncture. It was on my list to try having been recommended by a few people. You need an actual qualified vet though I believe and I couldn’t find anyone locally- if anyone knows some one who covers my area I’d give it a try for certain.

Think that’s replied to all suggestions?!
Click to expand...


Completely fine. Its not being used as mine doesnt like the extra pressure, he has an old injury there. I thought it would help but he hated it 🤷‍♀️
 
Alot of therapists for horses now use laser acupuncture on animals, Arabi has had it the cranial therapy lady used to do it combined with shiatsu and the cranial stuff, it does help him but you have to have it quite frequently.

The nerve release therapy Yasmin did was the most effective for him his only needed one treatment.
 
poiuytrewq said:
Never seen one like that! I can’t picture how it sits? Again a possibility (cheaper just incase!)
Click to expand...
So out of fashion now that I cannot fi d a picture on Google, but the thin strap is the browband and the loop is for the headpiece to go through so the wider padded piece then goes lengthways between the ears.
 
EnduroRider said:
So out of fashion now that I cannot fi d a picture on Google, but the thin strap is the browband and the loop is for the headpiece to go through so the wider padded piece then goes lengthways between the ears.
Click to expand...
I think that sounds like it may be worth a try. I don’t think it’s under the bridle so much that he likes but between his ears- although I am going to try a few suggested above I feel like this might be a hopeful idea!
 
Have you tried adding magnesium to his feed? My boy is a headshaker, particularly worse in spring/summer, and I've been adding two teaspoons of magnesium to his feed for the past few months and it's made a noticeable difference in his headshaking. I'm waiting to see if it'll make much difference in the worser months, and if not, my next thing to try was a titanium hood. It's such a frustrating thing to get to the bottom of, I feel your pain!
 
Sorry to resurrect this this thread, I'm just wondering if you had any luck @poiuytrewq? New boy shakes his head when he has a bridle on, and I'm unsure if it's a learned behaviour or he has some sort of nerve pain. On my when he's in a bridle. Teeth, back, neck and tack all checked and came up blank, I'm wondering if any of these things helped yours out
 
AutumnDays said:
Sorry to resurrect this this thread, I'm just wondering if you had any luck @poiuytrewq? New boy shakes his head when he has a bridle on, and I'm unsure if it's a learned behaviour or he has some sort of nerve pain. On my when he's in a bridle. Teeth, back, neck and tack all checked and came up blank, I'm wondering if any of these things helped yours out
Click to expand...
Have you tried removing the browband?
 
MarvelVillis said:
Have you tried adding magnesium to his feed? My boy is a headshaker, particularly worse in spring/summer, and I've been adding two teaspoons of magnesium to his feed for the past few months and it's made a noticeable difference in his headshaking. I'm waiting to see if it'll make much difference in the worser months, and if not, my next thing to try was a titanium hood. It's such a frustrating thing to get to the bottom of, I feel your pain!
Click to expand...
I tried magnesium and it didn't work, also tried titanium hood which also didn't work. I have never tried pressure on his poll so guess what ill be trying this summer lol. Was thinking riding in a hackamore may be an option 🤔
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top