Head "shaking"?

Troggy

Troggy

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Hi all,

Bit of a strange one. My 8 year old Connemara has always “snaked” his head/neck, in the field/at dinner time/lunged if in head collar, he NEVER does it ridden or when bridle is on.

He was recently bone scanned due to ridden issues and discovered bilateral PSD, on which he had surgery 3 weeks ago, a muscle spasm in his back and a spot flagged on the left side of his face by his upper teeth. X rays and sinus scoped didn’t show anything abnormal, so the next step will be a CT scan. Could this be linked with his head snaking (it’s not really shaking as such) I had wondered if it was related to his PSD/a pain response, but he still does it waiting for dinner, although on box rest so not sure how much else is the same.

I wasn’t too concerned about it but both vets who saw him do it were, and wanted it looked into.

Has anyone come across this before? Any ideas what the bone scan could be showing? Can horses get muscle spasms in their faces?

Thanks!
 
If he was an arab I would expect head 'snaking' as it seems normal for arabs and their part breds.

Does the 'snaking' your horse does, look similar to this?

[video=youtube;qzDjjIEYWFc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzDjjIEYWFc[/video]

Skip to 55 seconds.
 
Hi

Yes like that but goes lower and higher within the snake but that action! I wasn't too concerned until vets were and the bone scan :/
 
I have a head shaker (up & down), but only when ridden. Interestingly he has also recently been diagnosed with PSD and had/has a very sore back. During a Physio session recently he starting the shaking and pawing when his lumbar spine was being worked on. I think it is related to discomfort, but he is also the type to be a bit impatient.
My now retired little Arab shook his head all over the place quite frantically many years ago and would walk in hand with his neck extended and head rotated so his left cheek was facing up. Finally, after he developed sinusitis Xrays showed an infected tooth root. A bone scan had shown hot spot in the region when he was initially investigated for the head shaking. The vets ignored it at the time & thought it was a behavioural issue. By the time he developed sinusitis it was so extensive that the bone was remodelling in his jaw & the tooth etc. had to be removed under GA. Same horse 'snakes' a lot when excited/playing & the movement and his expression was very different.
 
One of my mares does something very similar - she will do it occasionally at feed time but she tends to do it towards the others when they are all out - almost like she is trying to get them to move. It's very odd but never done ridden and I'd always assumed it was to do with her being herd leader?
 
I think that's a good observation Budatiger, a horse that 'snakes' out of joi de vivre will have a different expression from one who does it out of pain. It is easier to tell the difference if you know what is normal for the horse when it is healthy as changes/differences are more apparent then.
 
Also noticed this tonight, not sure if new but is it normal to have the bones above the eyes wonky? Left one bigger and higher

 
Faracat said:
If he was an arab I would expect head 'snaking' as it seems normal for arabs and their part breds.

Does the 'snaking' your horse does, look similar to this?

[video=youtube;qzDjjIEYWFc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzDjjIEYWFc[/video]

Skip to 55 seconds.
Click to expand...


Oh, thank you for this video. My PRE mare does exactly this! I have never known how to describe it, nor have I ever seen another horse do this. She will do it out of excitement when loose in the field, or frustration if I take too long delivering feed. Never under saddle. I have never worried about it, I just thought it was one of her quirks. I also put her very strong neck down to this little habit. :)
 
Mine does it if hes having a strop. Never when ridden, but will do it occasionally in the field if he wants in and I'm not moving fast enough, or if hes tied up and doesnt want to be anymore. Its definitely annoyance though. Hes very easy to read. His pain/discomfort face isnt his head snake rage face :lol:
 
My welsh D does this , had ks , arthritic hocks and ulcers, did it on turn out , bring in and occasionally in work, he does it in a very angry manner so know its pain/frustration, I am slowly getting on top of his issues and he now has a few good random days when he doesn't do it all so I know its not just a habit that everyone tells me he has
 
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