Headshaking- An increase in cases?

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KatB

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Just a general musing. I was chatting to someone who works for a vet, who says they ahve had more cases of headshakers this year than ever before... and generally horses who have just started headshaking...

Soooo, do you know more headshakers now than a few years a go? I know several years a go, had never come across head shaking at alll....
 
There's a horse on my yard that started headhshaking a couple of years back, also noticed yesterday that a lady who comes over for lessons had a nosenet on her horse that I've never seen before. Was only pondering the same thing earlier about it being quite a recent phenomenon!
 
Sorry my first post was horrendous!! MAkes no sense at all...you can tell I was typing in a hurry...

Pleased I'm not the only one who has noticed it being a "modern" thing... makes you wander what is happening with air quality to make it happen more?
 
I'll be interested to watch this post - as my pony has started doing it for the 1st time ever this year. Off to buy a nose net tomorrow!
 
There is more awareness of headshaking - that it is a real problem and that horses are not being "naughty".

Having said that, I think some low level headshakers can be trained to override the headshaking impulse through schooling. Serious headshakers are a different story, and their quality of life can be seriously compromised. But I've known a few who are definitely headshakers but when ridden correctly and accepting the bit, and concentrating on their rider, the headshaking dissipates. I teach a girl who has a stunning pony; pony was written off as a chronic low level headshaker. But as we are able to teach the pony the correct acceptance of the bit, lo and behold, the headshaking is less of a problem. I don't know the physiognomy but the more correctly the horse is in his way of going, the less likely he is to headshake.
 
I agree that it is on the increase. May be the increased rapeseed production or the volcanic ash but if British Dressage turnout rules are anything to go by, with them changing the rules this year that you are allowed to ride with a nose net without a vet's letter, then obviously enough horses are needing a nose net for it to be common enough NOT to warrent a vet's letter anymore. I wish the Side Saddle Association were as open to change with this too!!
 
my horse did it terribly - i and my instructor tried everything from a nose net to standing martingale - didnt help. last week i bought a monty roberts dually halter and rode him in that - the difference was astounding - he actually enjoyed our lesson, no head shaking at all
 
Halfstep said:
There is more awareness of headshaking - that it is a real problem and that horses are not being "naughty".

Having said that, I think some low level headshakers can be trained to override the headshaking impulse through schooling. Serious headshakers are a different story, and their quality of life can be seriously compromised. But I've known a few who are definitely headshakers but when ridden correctly and accepting the bit, and concentrating on their rider, the headshaking dissipates. I teach a girl who has a stunning pony; pony was written off as a chronic low level headshaker. But as we are able to teach the pony the correct acceptance of the bit, lo and behold, the headshaking is less of a problem. I don't know the physiognomy but the more correctly the horse is in his way of going, the less likely he is to headshake.
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Funny you should mention this as I find when Hattie is going in the correct outline, that the headshaking isn't so bad. It's like she forgets that the flies are there or that the pollen is bugging her. We didn't wear one to the SSA show on Sunday even though I had a vet's letter and just really concentrated on making her concentrate on me not the pollen or flies and she wasn't too bad.
 
I have noticed this as well.

I teach in the south east and have come across so many more clients horses with this issue in the last 2 years. Everything has nose nets on now, hacking horses, sports horses, ponies. Im very close to london, i wonder if that makes a difference.

My friends show jumper started to head shake last year and i seemed to be a upsetting thing to go though... although i think he has got better... she posts on here so maybe she will join in.
 
I'm not sure, there is an increase of production of rapeseed over the years, but I also agree that it may be that we are more aware of the problem than a few years ago. I have noticed quite a few horses this year that suffer from head shaking, however only 10 years ago when I was learning to ride I was probably just taught that the horse was being naughty and avoiding the contact. It has made me wonder how many horses I have ridden over the years that were actually suffering when we all thought were being naughty.

I ride a cob for someone at the moment, and he seems to be a head shaker, however he does it all year, only when hacking and only in the way back home. However if he is hacked on a contact and worked correctly he doesn't do this, so it may seem that it is a habit for him or he is being naughty. Nose nets etc don't work, but the owner has also hogged him and he seems to do it a lot less.
 
Halfstep said:
There is more awareness of headshaking - that it is a real problem and that horses are not being "naughty".

Having said that, I think some low level headshakers can be trained to override the headshaking impulse through schooling. Serious headshakers are a different story, and their quality of life can be seriously compromised. But I've known a few who are definitely headshakers but when ridden correctly and accepting the bit, and concentrating on their rider, the headshaking dissipates. I teach a girl who has a stunning pony; pony was written off as a chronic low level headshaker. But as we are able to teach the pony the correct acceptance of the bit, lo and behold, the headshaking is less of a problem. I don't know the physiognomy but the more correctly the horse is in his way of going, the less likely he is to headshake.
Click to expand...

This is the case with my mare. Make her work and she seems to forget about the urge to shake or twitch x.
 
I have 3 on my yard now that display lo level symptoms. It would seem to make no difference if the day is hot/damp/mild/chilly.
However, there is a product called NostrilVet that seems to really help. Gets the horse over the irritation long enough to work and once they are working the concentration seems to take over....
 
bluelady66 said:
my horse did it terribly - i and my instructor tried everything from a nose net to standing martingale - didnt help. last week i bought a monty roberts dually halter and rode him in that - the difference was astounding - he actually enjoyed our lesson, no head shaking at all
Click to expand...

I read somewhere recently while surfing the net, that the scientists have found that some headshakers are sensitive to bits in their mouths and that this can cause the headshaking. From your post it looks like there maybe some truth in it? I'll try and find the article.
 
Hmm, this is really interesting, especially re. the comment about being closer to london, and eveyrthing wearing a nosenet... is that because they need it, or just in case?!
 
I spoke to my vet about this. My boy was head shaking due to habit as he had problems with his teeth whilst with previous owners.

The vet said that if I gave him hayfever tablets he would stop as it's the same nerve that effects hayfever as the one that triggers the shaking. Haven't tried it yet though.
 
Can someone tell me if head shaking is the same as head tossing? My horse has just been to the vets and been scoped and x-rayed - she has a serious sinus infection which we are treating with antibiotics for three weeks. The main symptom is that she had started tossing her head up and down - only when ridden on the right rein - the same side as the sinus infection is on and the side on which all the disgusting snot is coming down. Is the head tossing related to the sinus infection......everything is on the right hand side....
 
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