head shaking

bexc3

bexc3

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Hi im new to the forum and was just wondering if anyone on here has had any experience with a head shaker?
Basically my 10 year old ex racer started head shaking in Jan. I have had him 2 years and he has been on our yard for 3 years. He never showed any sign of head shaking the first year we had him but last March he did it for about a month and then stopped once turned out 24/7 at the end of April and didn't show any signs the of it again up until the Jan when it started again :(. This time round is much worse and alot of the time it makes him impossible to ride.

He has had his teeth, back and tack checked so thats ruled out. The vet came and she suspects he has a hyper sensitive trigeminal nerve. She has spoken to a referal clinic and they told me to try a fly mask that covers from ears to nose. He has worn it for 3 days now and hates it, it does help slightly with the head shaking but makes him sneeze all the time and he constantly tries to rub it off. Next we have to try drugs :confused: and then he said there is an op you can try in which they use coils inplanted next to the nerve but he said he doesn't want to get my hopes up as the prognosis for it working is quite slim.

I just want to help my lovely boy out as he's been a fab horse the last two years, im just totally gutted that he has started this. It really is driving him nuts now :(. So has anyone got anything i can try? Any supplements or home remedies?

Sorry for the essay.
 
Sorry to hear about your woes. My boy is a headshaker but its caused by a combination of sunlight and cold air/weather. Those bright frosty mornings are the worst. He only has it for the few months when the weather conditions promote the condition. Basically, he is photosensitive. Have you monitored him to see whether the same applies to your horse? If so, you are better off than those whose horses are allergic to pollen etc which makes them pretty much unrideable most of the year.
 
Depending on what exactly is causing it, a number of companies like Global Herbs, do supplements that help a lot of head shakers. I went through several of these before finding the one that would help my pony, and the difference is amazing - it's like there's nothing wrong with her at all now!
 
Thanks so much for your reply's. I have been trying to work out what triggers it but it is a bit of a nightmare :(. When he has the equilibrium fly mask on that covers from ears to nose the actual shaking is alot better but he does sneeze alot and try and rub it off, the more he wears it the more he gets used to it, it doesn't however stop it altogether.
The vet said its very odd that he seems to get it in the winter months and then once turned out it stops. I do wonder whether it will stop this year tho as he is sooo much worse then last year. Im going to give the global herbs shake free winter formula a try to see if that helps, i treid the naf one and it didn't do anything. Ive got the nose net on order to try riding him in. The vet wants to try drugs next but i want to discuss sides effects etc before we do that.

Thanks again for your reply's.
 
Check your browband to see if it is too short, can you get 2 (adult) fingers underneath it comfortably?
If not it pulls the headpiece up onto the ears causing irritation and head shaking, one of the most common causes of head shaking yet largely overlooked, Oz :)
 
unicornleather said:
Check your browband to see if it is too short, can you get 2 (adult) fingers underneath it comfortably?
If not it pulls the headpiece up onto the ears causing irritation and head shaking, one of the most common causes of head shaking yet largely overlooked, Oz :)
Click to expand...

Now thats INTERESTING.
 
My TB mare was a head shaker- only in the spring/summer though so we concluded it was a pollen allergy. I tried soooooooo many products/supplements etc but found that the best thing was the equilibrium nose net- she didn't like it at first but after a week or so she was like a diff horse. I hope you find a solution... it really is one of the most frustrating conditions as most of the time no one knows the exact cause is. However there is now lots more research and specific products available. Good luck :)
 
Thanks again for your reply's everyone :). Im waiting for the nose net to come through having oredered it a week ago :rolleyes:. I will check my brow band but i dont think its this as he head shakes all the time not just when being ridden :confused:. I wish it was as simple as this:(. Just hoping i find something that helps my poor boy.
 
If it is a primary nerve problem, acupuncture has been very effective in some cases. Otherwise the Equilibrium nose net is probably the best solution.
 
If he is fine when turned out, could it be either something actually in the stable causing a reaction? so change of bedding/forage - even cleaned rugs? and if he is better when out, could he live out?
 
Have you changed the bridle or even adjusted it. Sometimes if the nose band sits too low it can irritate the nerves running across the face. It needs to be loose really but sometimes having it too tight is irritating.

We tried everything with headshaker for years and spent rather a lot of dough. One day, he accidentally snapped his noseband on a railing bolt and so we had to go without....

It was like his guardian angel had come to his rescue as since then, no more horrid shaking heads.

That said, I think nosenets are brilliant for seasonal headshakers. Apparently early rape-crops can aggravate a lot of itchy noses!

Also agree with browband - I see so many that are far too tight. Should REST on the forehead not draw the ears together :D

It is a case of trial and error - much better to rule out the easy stuff like tack before spending more money on supplements and craniospecialowotsits etcetc...
 
There are a number of poss causes. Our Irish TB got started in the first summer we owned him. That year an Equilibrium nose net did the trick. The following year the nose net wasn't as effective so we got him a Guardian face mask (pricey, from US website) and that helped a bit but as the summer progressed it got steadily worse. Then someone at the yard said they had had really good results with Global Herbs Pollenex. Amazing - headshaking stopped completely in 3 days. He's just started headshaking again this year but the Pollenex doesn't seem to be working quite as well, just reducing it, not stopping completely like last year. Shame as we've just spent £90 on a giant bottle! I know they do another called something like shake relief though so maybe we'll try that...

Good luck. It's awful to watch them like that
 
Try hay fever nasal spray and piriton or equivalent tablets from Tescos. This together with a fly mask/nosenet are the only things that I have found any good and I have tried all the supplements, vets/vet referrall/REACT allergy testing the lot!

Over the last 20yrs I have had 2 x headshakers and they do get progressively worse year on year and especially bad in warm and damp weather lets hope it stays dry and your horse may get some relief. You have my sympathy the vets are still scratching their heads about this problem!
 
My mare is very fussy and sensitive around her nose. No noseband helps alot as does a generously fitting brow band. She is fussier when she is moulting, I make sure I gently groom her face before and after riding so that as few loose hairs bother her when I am trying to get her nice and relaxed. Teeth must be done bang on time (even if barely anything needs to be done, leaving it any longer than 6 months causes probs for her). I have also trimmed off her long muzzle hairs (I know they are there for a reason!) but it has helped reduce her nose sensitivity. Nose nets and fly masks with nose covers are useless for her as they drive her totally mad as they touch her nose - total waste of time for her!! Also have our mc tim/bowen lady out regularly to make sure there is no tension around her atlas as this can set her off too.

Seems that it is very individual to the horse. Hope you can work something out for your boy.
 
my boy is a headshaker too - seems to be getting worse each spring - he is v tense and hypersensitive - I have used a nose net - helped for a while, then we removed the bit and rode him in a hackamore which also worked for a while but now hes getting worse and worse - the other day when it rained he was rearing and buck and lashing out as the raindrops were landing on him as he is so sensitive - so I have stopped riding him for the mo (I ended up in hosp last year when I fell off him in June which must have been when the problem was at its worst)

He has no symptoms in the winter at all - we have tried NAFs shake free - no better and 10 days ago I started him on the first treatment of Dexamethasone (Steroid) treatment - it can be very good but not for him - no change

I am actually not very happy to use strong drugs ans I also think that the Dex is only treating the symptoms not addressing the problem, much like nose nets etc so I am about to try a Traditional CHinese Medicine treatment along with acupuncture which seems to be working for some horses - will post on here how it goes

Sorry for the long post but it really helps to discuss this and to know that you are not alone with such a terrible (for the horse) problem - I know many people dont really understand as its only after you've had a HSer that you really begin to see what it is doing to them
 
I have a lovely little horse who has always had a minor headshake in hot weather, but is much worse this year. She snatches her head up as if she has a bee up her nose and also tries to strike at her nose with her foreleg whilst trotting and cantering. It can be quite hair-raising to ride. I have read up a lot on the condition and there can be a number of reasons including pollen e.t.c. I came across a company called Equiwinner who advertised a course of treatment for £59 that is 100% effective ?! Too good to be true I thought. However, I have read all the stuff that comes with it on the net and it seems to make sense. Check it out for yourself. They offer a money back guarantee, so I have taken the plunge and brought some. I put the first patch on last night and will keep readers updated !! It's worth a try. My horse only does it in the summer and is fine in the winter. I have tried fly veils e.t.c. but they don't seem to make any difference. Will keep you posted.
 
Day 5 now of the 10 day course of the Equiwinner patches. Rode in the school yesterday and she didn't snatch at all, but to fair she is normally better in the school as it is open and more windy. Tried hacking today and at first she threw her head and I thought, here we go, but she did seem a lot better. Again, it is very windy today, although sunny and warm, so I don't know if she would have been better anyway?! The patches seem to be staying on OK, I have kept a fly rug on to ensure she does not loose them when she rolls. I'm probably just clutching at straws in the hope she will get better but I will try and be objective and keep readers informed if it works. My horse like others I have read about has never really done the headshaking thing before, last year just a couple of minor snatches when flies were bad. I hope we can find a cure as everyone seems to be suffering more this year than ever. Will keep u posted.
 
Thank you Summsumm for keeping us updated. I will be interested to see what your final verdict is. Incidently I usually find that warm, sunny, breezy conditions make my horse worse as it tends to blow the pollen around. He is better on very warm still days.
 
Day 6 of the patches just rode in the school. She behaved perfectly, no headshaking at all, but not getting hopes up too much, as windy and this might keep flies away more. Day 7 went for a mega hack, no nose net or anything, sun shining, no wind. Hadn't been going a couple of minutes when she started throwing her head a couple of times. Here we go I thought, I'll end up cutting the hack short. Anyway she stopped !! Nothing for over an hour !! Then i tuned up the last lane for home, this is where she always speeds up and is a little tense as she is keen to get home. She then started throwing her head again. It certainly seems there is something to be said about stress, raised blood pressure being a contributory factor. Who knows, I am intrigued now. Day 8 today, no riding due to work, Fetched her in 6pm to change the patch and she was sweating profusely under and around the patch but nowhere else. The patch was stuck on top of her bum, an area where a horse doesn't ever normally sweat, so something is happening. Wondered if it was just the patch making the area sweat but it's not that warm. I will keep you updated. Tha hack was 70% better than normal, even that would be a good thing, she was pretty unrideable on a hack just before.
 
I agree, stress is a massive factor - or exitability! Keeping my lad calm seems to be a major factor in keeping the HS under control. He is very relaxed at home and the nosenet does the trick but out at a comp or hacking somewhere he's not familiar with usually sets it off.
 
Hi
Iam also new to this forum and I fully understand the problem that you are experiencing
may I suggest that you take a look at this website and maybe contact via email there is help out there for headshakers, www.equinecraniosacral.com there is case studies on the website for Headshakers and also a DVD .

Regards
Jacqbus57
 
If your vet thinks it is trigeminal nerve related please do try acupuncture. I had this nerve problem myself and it is agony so I always worry for headshaker horses that they are posibly going through what I went through! Acupuncture cured mine when conventional medicine had nothing more to suggest except cutting the nerve - which I would have considered as I couldn't live with the pain.
 
My horse head shakes due to a pollen allergy.

I would try something like global herb allergyX supplement and see if that stops him.

It stopped my boy a treat :)
 
Thought I would pop in here on this message. I and my old horse assisted in Headshaking research for Derek knottenbelt. I think that most of these messages have covered many angles of Headshaking. However from the initial poster, it sounds like she has had a possible diagnosis. Trigeminal Neuralgia. Which is essentially what my horse had. As stated, the triggers are what is the issue. Mine was photic and seasonal and pollen. So it was not one thing that triggers the nerve into action. It can be a combination. So in the case of my horse, the mask helped, but was was not the total solution. Guardian mask was the one I found best. Along with that we had Tegretol and periactin tablets from the vets. No significan improvement. Stabling during day and out at night - some...but nothing solved it! I had my dear horse 10 years and tried EVERY thing there was. An operation was suggested, but I really could not face having the hole in the wind pipe and decided I would rather not ride all spring and summer than have her with that.
My mare was graded a 4 out of 5 in severity so pretty bad as it goes. She would plunge at her face with her forelegs. kicking at it. drag her nose along the road till it bled. Absolutely dreadful. But I have good news....
She improved!!!!! Never cured, but I noticed the best improvement came when she was under less stress. I as an owner had to accept the condition and know no cure!!! when you relax and go with the condition. It makes it easier to cope with. She had a good life in the end. An easy and relaxed life. On bad days, no riding. On moderate to good days you could ride. Key is to understand fully what you are dealing with and the first thing is the vet a good vet to diagnose.
 
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