Head Shaking?!

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showjumper1998

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Hi guys,
i have a ID x TB rig who is 16 now but still thinks he's 6, we are currently re-schooling due to being used for Horseball for many years (he now does novice show jumping due to being a total scardeycat!). Now the problem is that recently (month or two) he has been shaking his head up and down - like when they have flies on their face or something- before this he would happily go into a very nice outline most of the time, however now he will still happily go into a outline but will not stay due to shaking his head so much, which I know will put him off balance. now i am not a novice rider at all however I have never came across this, i have had horses that nap but this isn't what he seems to be doing. When he shakes his head it seems as if there is like a fly or something up his nose, but there isn't.. Also he seems to be taking the reins out of my hands when slowing to a walk and rubbing his nose along the ground (we school on grass due to not having any yard/arena facilities) which makes him sneeze. He will carry on for a minute or two quite happy and then start shaking his head again? I don't know if this is related or not?
When he shakes his head he doesn't seem in pain or unhappy its just as if there is something on his face, like a fly or similar?? This happens mainly in walk and trot, he tries in canter but struggles. None of this happens when lunging or walking around inhand, he is better when ridden bareback (which i do very regularly)

Has anybody ever experienced this before??
Back, teeth, saddle etc. has all been checked and is perfectly fine
He is ridden in a French link, which he is happy in. Is there a possability that where the bit has a loose ring that it may pinch the sides of this mouth as he is fiddling with the bit? there is no signs of rubbing, ulcers or sore patches so i really am out of ideas?
sorry for the paragraphs.. lol
Thanks in advance
 
The symptoms sound like true headshaking, the rubbing of the nose is one main sign, but the fact he is better bareback is interesting, I had one horse in that had been virtually given up on due to serious headshaking it turned out to be caused by pressure from his saddle, this had been fitted and ruled out as a problem by previous experts. A new saddle, loads of physio and he was a changed horse, the shaking stopped and he went on to be a useful allrounder.

You need to be fairly scientific in your approach, try ruling out one thing at a time, change saddle, try a looser browband, no noseband, the poll area is frequently missed when physios are concentrating on other issues and can be an area that causes them to shake, allergies are the other obvious thing consider, dust or pollen in the nasal area can irritate and cause distress as can distemas in the teeth allowing feed to build up and put pressure on the sensitive area on the gums, a vet can nerve block to prove whether the trigeminal nerve is causing it but this is not always that straightforward if the shaking is intermittent.
Try using a nosenet, they can really help.
 
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Heaps of different causes of headshaking.

I had one couldn't be on any grass in the spring.

Could be an allergy.

Is there photo sensitivity associated with it?

Nose nets have been effective for some horses. There is a heap of info on the net but its pretty hit and miss trying to find the cause.
 
be positive said:
The symptoms sound like true headshaking, the rubbing of the nose is one main sign, but the fact he is better bareback is interesting, I had one horse in that had been virtually given up on due to serious headshaking it turned out to be caused by pressure from his saddle, this had been fitted and ruled out as a problem by previous experts. A new saddle, loads of physio and he was a changed horse, the shaking stopped and he went on to be a useful allrounder.

You need to be fairly scientific in your approach, try ruling out one thing at a time, change saddle, try a looser browband, no noseband, the poll area is frequently missed when physios are concentrating on other issues and can be an area that causes them to shake, allergies are the other obvious thing consider, dust or pollen in the nasal area can irritate and cause distress as can distemas in the teeth allowing feed to build up and put pressure on the sensitive area on the gums, a vet can nerve block to prove whether the trigeminal nerve is causing it but this is not always that straightforward if the shaking is intermittent.
Try using a nosenet, they can really help.
Click to expand...

Thank you, i've had saddle checked very recently. I dont think it could be pollen related as he only got this a month or so ago and not much pollen about. He is kept out 24/7 no access to bedding at all with very good quality hay.
Thank you for this will keep experimenting and see if i can get to the bottem of it.
 
Make sure your noseband is loose as that can irritate the main nerve that's sensitive in head shakers. I find a combination of a net and a Cashel quiet ride mask help a lot in summer. Hope you get it sorted
 
Have you changed his feed or hay recently? Sometimes can be caused by feed intolerances.

I would probably phone vet and have a chat?
 
showjumper1998 said:
Thank you, i've had saddle checked very recently. I dont think it could be pollen related as he only got this a month or so ago and not much pollen about. He is kept out 24/7 no access to bedding at all with very good quality hay.
Thank you for this will keep experimenting and see if i can get to the bottem of it.
Click to expand...
There are fungi that shed spores this time of year that can make a horse react like pollen!
 
I would discuss this with a vet. there could be a multitude of things, include polyps, trigeminal nerve, sinus problems, right through to bridle, bit or back issues.

As Be Positive says, you need to take a scientific approach. eg. when you say he is better when ridden bareback - ask yourself, is this because I don't ask for as much work, or genuinely is he better bareback. And try things systematically, but personally I would discuss with the vet first.
 
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I'm another who has seen it caused - and controlled - by a large range of factors. I feel sure that in some cases at least, there are multiple triggers at work - I ride one horse where the main trigger seems to be his back but he's also worse seasonally and in the rain. Another was much improved by allergy treatments but then stopped completely in a hackamore.

I have also heard that there is a potential new treatment for intransigent/idiopathic cases in the works. Definitely worth a conversation with the vet.
 
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