Headshakers - what have you tried?

[welshied]

My horse is getting to the point now that i am thinking that i am putting myself in danger by riding him as his headshaking is getting out of control and due to it we have no breaks and am sick of dodging his head when its coming for my face he is only 10 bless him.
What have you used that has worked i have tried a nosenet but that just seemed to annoy him even more

 

[tasteofchristmaschaos]

Face mask - my old boy was set off by bright sunlight and flies NOT pollen, so a nosenet didn't make a blind bit of difference but his face mask reduced his head shaking to hardly anything at all.

 

[welshied]

What just like a normal fly net or a specific one? prob a stupid question lol

 

[tasteofchristmaschaos]

Hang on, i'll find a similar one to the one we used on the internet

 

[martlin]

QR
I have the full monty - fly mask and nose net, if the flies aren't to bad, nose net is enough, if bright sunshine and plenty of flies, both go on.

 

[tasteofchristmaschaos]

http://www.frogpool.com/product-4572.htm

That is the one we used. Hope this helps.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I've only ever had to change bridle/bit if any of mine have shown to be a little uncomfortable fortunately, but I once read about a headshaker that had been pts and the postmortem found that he had a seed in his ear. Cautionary tale, the moral of which is 'investigate thoroughly' I guess.

 

[welshied]

Thanks will have to get one and try him in that its so annoying cause you think he is just misbehaving but as soon as you halt him he rubbing his nose on your boot or trying to scrape it ont he floor and blowing as if he thinks hes got something stuck in it and hes always rubbing his eyes aswell so maybe the combination of mask and nosenet together might do the trick

 

[welshied]

Hes had everything checked all vet found was cataracts and iris cysts which wouldn't effect him he just said its allergies

 

[Eaglestone]

I use the Equilibrium Nose Net on my TB and it really works

http://www.equilibriumproducts.com/head_shaking/net_reliefreg_muzzle_net/

 

[saddlesore]

[ QUOTE ]
I use thie Equilibrium Nose Net on my TB and it really works

http://www.equilibriumproducts.com/head_shaking/net_reliefreg_muzzle_net/

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto - this one is excellent. i also gave my horse an antihistamine each day

However, for some it is sunlight and not a nasal irritation so it may be worth trying each type.

 

[HayleyandBob]

antihistamines (liek superdrugs own) !
Im afriad you will just have to keep tryign everything till you find soemting that works

 

[Pedantic]

Pair of tights fitted over his lordships nose works a treat for the pollen and flies

 

[StinkiPinki]

Pedantic... what an amazing idea! Genius!

 

[Pedantic]

Not my idea, lady on Bridleways.co.uk told me about it, but it is my way of fixing and leaving the mouth free so he can eat/drink while out, 5 pairs of tights brown or black for £1.50 from Asda, one pair per ride, takes about 4 minutes to fit and so worth it.

 

[Lou23]

I use a nose net and a crochet fly veil, as my horse's headshaking is caused by flies and this stops all of it.

 

[Angelbones]

I tried everything, including desensitizing jabs monthly over the past 18 months to help his pollen allergy. We use a nosenet on 'easy days' and a full face quiet-ride mask on bright days (his shaking tends to be much worse on bright days). I tried every antihistimine on the market to no avail. Then I found a Canadian article about Periactin so asked the vet to prescribe it. The pony is on a high dose (30 tablets twice a day) but showed amazing improvement within 4 days and now isn't shaking at all, even without the nose net and I am reducing the dose to 25 tabs and hope to get it lower still. He is only a problem during the 'high season' and doesn't do it at all in the autumn / winter which is just as well as we bought him as a hunting pony, but with the tabs my daughter can do PC stuff and shows etc which is just fab.