Headshaking, any experience?

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Evntr86

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Hiya,

I've had my youngster since the summer, and she has never shown any signs of headshaking when I would expect it to be in the summer?
However, since she has been in more she has shown "twitchy" headshaking? Has anyone come across headshaking in the winter, and is it likely she is a headshaker if she hasn't done it throughout the summer? She seems to do it in the stable more than anything. Can it be a nervous thing?

Any help or ideas very much appreciated.

Many thanks.
 
could be the cold. the headshaker I used to have on loan used to do the sharp nods and try to scratch his nose when the sun was low in sky or when it was cold as had same affect on the nerve in his nose.

Have you had back, teeth and saddle checked?
 
Evntr86 - could she be reacting to being in a dustier, smellier environment? You could try less dusty bedding (not sure what she is on atm)/regular mucking out rather than deep littering/making sure there is max ventilation (e.g. outside stable/one near exit rather than middle of barn) and maybe think about if her feed (presumably more hay/less grazing at this time of year) is dusty too?
 
Agree with Draytons Barney - I have a headshaker and although he doesn't do it very much, when the sun is low in the sky it can trigger it. I find wearing a nosenet helps as he can scratch his nose on it and relieve the itching.

Also headshaking can be a sign of discomfort in the back so perhaps it could be worth getting a physio out just to make sure there is nothing irritating her in that area.

ETA: What bedding are you using. When I used Bedmax it heightened the headshaking as the flakes are treated with a strong substance.
 
Hiya,

Thank you. She is on straw at the moment but it is not dusty, I can't bed on straw if it is! She is mucked out every day and is on hayledge. Her teeth are done regularly and she shows no discomfort in her back, but I will get it checked out.

Has anyone found any treatments that help?

Thank you.
 
Limited treatments sadly and you can spend a LOT of money trying to find out the exact cause and get nowhere. My headshaker is a veteran eventer so I keep him out 24/7 to keep him moving about and he prefers this life. If I do bring him in, I use liverpool wood pellets/ecobed/aubiose bedding which has no dust. If she mainly does it when stabled, is there a way you can keep her out?
 
Thanks.

No she can't stay out over the winter, as I haven't got enough land! But I do turn her out in the day every day. I have noticed it more on rainy days when the drops get onto her nose?!

She has never done it before, and was in a much dustier environment when I brought her. Is it something they can develope? She has literally just started doing in in the last 2 weeks. She is only 4, so can a change in her teeth trigger it do you think? I would have thought that would have an effect when she was being ridden too though?

I'm just worried about having her labelled as a "headshaker" as I hope to sell her next year. She genuinely has never done it under saddle and I just noticed it watching her in her stable.

Thanks again.
 
the one I had on loan seemed to get it after his flu jab when he was 5. But this has never been proven and could just be coincidence.

Is she very distressed about it? If not I wouldn't worry. Many horses live perfectly normal lives and just nod occasionally. more annoying for rider. I wouldn't label her as anything unless she was consistently doing it and it was causing her some distress.

'proper' headshaking should get worse when exersized and apparently more in trot than anything else so if its just in stable it may not actually be headshaking!

You could be right and its just the rain getting up her nose, that would make me nod a bit anyway
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Thank you again!

She doesnt seem distressed, and if it wasnt such a jerky movement I wouldnt have even noticed! She is quite a sharp mare so I think it may just be her quick reactions. Pleased you have said that about headshakers, never had any experience of them before to be honest, so I am a bit ignorant to it! Hopefully it will stop soon
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Thank you
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I used to ride a pony that headshaked, he was lovely in winter, the first time it ever happened I thought he was going to fall over...

My horse headshakes but only when he's excited, he leaps and flings his head side to side and stops... I think it's just an excited thing and not a problem...
 
I'd give it another couple of weeks before you worry too much. It's possible that she has just got a virus that is irritating her nose if she's only done it for 2 weeks. As you say, very unusual to have it in winter and not in summer ..... let's hope she's just caught something off someone.

I'd also have a check that she hasn't got a tooth abscess or guttoral pouch infection if it doesn't clear.
 
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