Head shaking

[maddielove]

Maddie has started headshaking...it's getting stressfull and dangerous too..she almost yanked me out of the saddle today at one point.
The first summer i had her she didn't do it at all...as far as i remeber..and last year she did a wee bit whilst out hacking..and now we're getting it whilst schooling too.
So i'm asking advice from those with horses with the same problem.
Her teeth are fine and i dont think her bit/ back or anything play a part in it as nothing has changed...apart from warmer weather this week which i think maybe has brought it on.[maybe flies/pollen?]
I've seen nose nets...tgey seem like a good idea-but do they work?

thanks!

 

[carthorse]

I use a nosenet and it controls my horses problem fine,you would need a letter from your vet to compete in dressage with it

 

[cosmo_sam]

I can recommend a nosenet

Dragon has one, and although for him he doesn't seem bothered by pollen (it seems more to do with the wind rushing up his nose). It definately makes a difference.

Like CH says you will need dispensation from BD to compete (even if you compete unaffiliated)

 

[Clodagh]

The rape is very forward this year, its the only thing that upsets my horse, maybe its that and fingers crossed she will get better as the peak flowering period is over.
Good luck, a friend of mine uses a nose net and swears by it.

 

[sally2008]

My 20 year old gelding started headshaking for the first time this year and following advice from several knowledgeable HHOers I now have him on a regime of homeopathic mixed pollen tablets, local honey, a full face mask when in the field and a nose-net when being worked and he's 99.9% better. Worth trying?

 

[Halfstep]

Nosenets DO work. My gelding headshakes out hacking (usually triggered by flies and/or pollen). The nosenet almost completely eliminates it. They are an amazingly cheap and easy way of helping horses who headshake. I also always turn out in a full mask with nose and ear covers.

 

[Toyboyroxhissox]

My mum has a headshaker and as i nearly always ride out with her have seen the difference a nose net made.Though this was last year. But,when we rode out monday, with a new nosenet on for the first time the horse still went completely mad. She was sweating all over she was yanking my mum out of the saddle reversing snorting and trying to itch her nose with her leg all the time. This became quite serious! We have ridden out again since, without the nose net on (but not the same place) and she has been bad but not to the extent the other day was,I'd say its up to you, we cant tell any difference in pollen/flies to last year, so dont know wether your nose net would work. It is frustrating because last year the nosenet worked just as madmare described, but this year it didnt work,puzzling!
good luck, i know how difficult it is to ride a headshaker!