Head shaking in response to stress/excitement

[kittykatcat]

Hi all,

I have a 7yo tb whom I have owned for 2 years.

I noticed a bit of headshaking last summer - only really in response to midges if I rode out late in the evening, but it was controllable by a nose net.

Recently (in the last 3 months) I have noticed him doing it more, but at specific points on our hacks. He doesn't do it in the school at all.

He is AWFUL when we go out with an arab mare who is quite flighty and joggy (it was really fun when we were going full pelt gallop tossing his head in the air, smacking me in the face with said arab!) he does it if he has been scared by something (e.g. large passing truck) and gets a bit joggy and unsettled. He also does it along a specific bridle path that we sometimes canter down, but he only does it when in company - not when I take him on his own.

I have also noticed him do it in the last couple of weeks (since they have been in at night) on the way to the field in the morning....

WHAT'S GOING ON!!??

I ride him bitless and bitted and neither seem to make a difference....but it really seems like he does it in response to stress or excitement - has anyone else experienced this?!

I know it can be a neurological complication, not just allergens, so wonrdering if an increase in andrenaline is causing havoc?!!

 

[ThePony]

Getting worked up def increases my mares head shaking. Vet has been over her with a fine tooth comb, saddle is well fitted and checked regularly, bridle is made to fit, teeth and back and feet done regularly - so she is a healthy mare and the jury is still out on what makes her shake, but 110% def worse if she is a bit amped up.

If she gets a bit hot under the collar then I am v careful to give her a long rein and just get her walking into it. I have also recently put her on a calmer which has helped alot too. She isn't a hot mare, but the calmer does seem to take the edge off her headshaking. We are using the topspec calmer as after a bit of animal testing it turns out that l-tryptophan is the ingredient that works for her.

 

[pines of rome]

My T.B is the same, any stress or excitement and he starts,almost works himself into a frenzy, otherwise he is fine, except in the summer with pollen and flies then he does it a bit, i put him on global herbs polleneaze then, he won,t tolerate a nose net!