Headshaker. Miracle cures?

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charliebo

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Have been given the ride on a 4 yr old. The best horse I have ever sat on. He Started headshaking today, wildly, striking out with his front legs at the same time.

Have had a couple of headshakers in the past. One grew out of it and the other got worse.

Anyone have a miracle cure? This horse is the sort you would usually only dream about and I need to leave no stone unturned......
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Have you tried a nose net?
A friends horse used to headshake terribly. but as soon as the net was on he was fine. I definately would give this a try if you havent already
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Jx
 
OK - this is going to sound completely random!!!!!!!!!

Don't know if you ever read the 'Jill" books?!! Probs far too young!!
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In one of them, Jill bought a pony from the local sale because no-one could ride it; because of the head shaking.

She rode it home in a headcollar, having bought it for tuppence ha'penny, and it seemed fine.

As soon as she put a bridle on, it headshook wildly.
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Eventually they discovered that it hated the pressure of the browband round its ears - took it off, and - BINGO - pony fine!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Not saying that this is the same as your case, but leave no stone unturned!! There are many reasons for headshaking (which is just a way of the horse saying it is uncomfortable about something round it's head - be it flies or something else, like teeth or tack!)

The Pullein-Thomsons did know a lot about horses!!!!!!!!!!!
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Good luck - if it is that good, keep trying!!
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I ride in a nose net and swear by it, also use a full face mask when hacking out as I find this can be worse, but the net is great for schooling and now BD accepted.
 
Could be related to something specific like Rape. In which case I would leave well alone for a couple of weeks till the rape starts to go over.
A nosenet on asap would also be a good idea.
 
My horse has been a bad HS for the past 2 years. Was unridable as had no energy. Ive tried everything - head and nose nets, (bit of an improvement,) herbs, large browband, head checked by the vet etc. He told me about eye drops that Lincoln Uni (I think it is) had trialled. After 2 weeks I HAVE MY HORSE BACK!!!!!!!
Ask your vet if he would prescibe sodium cromglycate 2%. He might not have heard of it (it was only known by the main man at my practise) as its such a new treatment.
Good Luck!
 
Someone suggested Nasaleze to me - I have been using it foe the past 2 rides out and my mare has only shaken her head once!!!! compared to the misery we usually endure. It's herbal so no medicine and is easy to puff up the nose (as long as you do it as they are inhaling to exhaling as I seem to do!!!!!)
 
What sort of countryside do you live in?
We've had a really terribly affected headshaker retire here from Oxfordshire to see it completely cured by being away from crops.
He has swollen cheeks, pouring eyes and nose and this was his last hope before being pts.
He now has no symptoms at all.
I can't offer a cure I'm afraid other than look at the fields around you and if there are crops especially rape that's probably the cause.
 
My headshaker is almost totally cured (so good I can hack through the woods on a sunny day - impossible last year). I use NAF shake relief and something called "Happy nose" (which I get from Superdrug) applied to the nostrils before I ride. He was never a bad headshaker to begin with, but it was there, and now it is sorted
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I've just started using NosrilVet ( www.nostrilvet.com )and it works very well.

Other ideas are magnesium supplements (help mine a bit), nose net, vaseline around the nose. Also turnout at night and stable (ideally in a barn) during the day.

All the above are for pollen related head shaking. Mine is tree pollen related which is apparently quite heavy, on bad days, still, sunny, damp spring days are the worst if I ride in the middle of a field rather than round the edge close to the hedges it makes a huge difference.
 
A gelding i once had used to head shake unless he either had on a flymask with covered ears or an ear veil. (or what ever you call it) x
 
I sorted mine out with an Equilibrium nose net (none of the others i tried had any effect) and Bonjela smeared around the inside of his nostrils. I also find he's happier in a grackle rather than a flash - I suspect it may be something to do with the pressure points?

Good luck with it.
 
Last year my horse started (he may well have had it the year before but he wasnt in work so we didnt know about it). Only does it this time of year, and I think it is the very small flies that seem to hang out near hedges going up his nose that annoy him more than the pollen.

Last year I tried: Gold label shaker suppliment; 10 x piriton tablets before being ridden, fly repellant round nose, haymax in his nostrils, and anti-congestant stuff sprayed up his nostrils. (This was all at the same time.) The above routine all helped a lot, although he still did headshake occasionally.

This year I have tried a nose net, and he stopped instantly. He is still on the shaker suppliment. I tried nostril vet at the comp I went to (as no nose net permission letter) didnt make much difference at all. (although my horse can use a lot of things to avoid work, so I wouldnt put it past him "fake" head shaking to avoid doing "proper" work in the dressage bit!)
 
Many thanks everyone. Have just ridden the horse again and he was much, much better. Same weather conditions as yesterday BUT the owner told me that the horse had been in a different field the day before, which was full of buttercup. Back in his usual field today and much happier.

Will try a net and the other remedies suggested.

Thanks again.
 
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