Headshaking / Nose-nets

[sally2008]

Over the past couple of weeks Dec, my 20 year old gelding, has started head-shaking for the first time. He is up to date with all his routine "maintenance" checks and is not unhappy in himself but appears to be trying to rid his nasal passages of some kind of irritant. He's displaying this behaviour when ridden, in the field and when standing tied up in the yard. He does settle 99% when I pick up a contact but continues to snort, snuffle and blow though his nose. I'm wondering if there is a particular type of pollen in the air at the moment which is causing this.

I'm going to try him with a nose-net to see if that makes a difference but having never used one before does anyone has any advice they can offer me on their purchase and use?

 

[piebaldsparkle]

A girl on my yard puts the end of some tights over her boys nose (just pull the toe/foot part fover his nose and mouth and tie it to his nose band). Seems a cheap and effective alternative.

 

[HBII]

PG has posted pictures of her mare Bloss in the gallery and I noticed the mare was wearing one - might be worth a pm?

I find these people as a company are great to order from ...

Old Dairy

Hb

 

[sally2008]

That's a thought

Not sure whether my boy would tolerate that. Hmmmm, I will keep it in mind though, thanks.

 

[sally2008]

Thanks GH, I will do.

Eeeeek! I had no idea they were so expensive! Lordy - the tights over the nose is suddenly looking more appealing! LOL!

 

[HBII]

There is one a bit further down the page for about £7 looks cheap though - you might be able to dye it black or ginger

 

[Chex]

Chex has started doing this too, its either pollen or little flies that are going up his nose. I'm going to get a nose net, not totally convinced by using tights!

 

[sally2008]

I never got that far down first time, the shock of £25 one was enough! LOL!

 

[sally2008]

I think I might try the tights thing with him tonight to see if it does help before I buy the real thing. He's a pretty sensitive sort so he may have a strong opinion about wearing it, I'll let you know!

 

[custard]

Mine started doing this a year or two back when we moved to a yard with a lot of ponds on the land. He now headshakes with midges, pollen, snow!! He wears a nose net now and has a cert from BD to say he can wear it and hes fine with it.

 

[TGM]

Daughter's pony did this last spring, but strangely not the spring before. Does seem to be a pollen thing as it only occurred in one particular area. A nose net sorted it for her and it was only a problem for a month or so.

 

[sally2008]

Great, thank you. That is encouraging to know.

 

[sally2008]

Thanks TGM. With Dec it seems to have come on suddenly - lets hope it disappears as fast! I guess with his advancing years he may just be becoming more sensitive to allergens.

 

[TGM]

I do wonder if it is age related as Misty is no spring chicken either! Her's came on suddenly as well.

 

[sally2008]

Could well be. I am finding it increasingly difficult to keep his COPD under control during the winter months as the years go by. I was so looking forward to spring and now this!

Grrrrr - horses, who'd have them!

 

[Chex]

I wondered if it was age related too, I don't remember Chex doing it at all until last year when he was about 24.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

I'm sensing a trend. Monty (the one who wears tights/stockings) is 19yo, and I don't think he has always has always head shaked either. He seems to be worst when the tree pollen is around (especially willow, there is a one by the pond up the yard).

 

[Stella]

I use this for riding http://www.kmeliteproducts.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=fp002 and their field version for turning out. They are very well made, don't rub (unlike another make I tried) and my mare is very comfortable in them. The 'Quiet Ride' one looks very dark black mesh and being a big heavy hunter mare, mine looks like a horse from the Apocolypse in hers, but she has never given any sign that it impares her vision.

 

[Halfstep]

My horse headshakes from midges. I hack him in the nosenet which 99% eliminates the headshaking. He is fine in the school and I haven't bothered to get a Vets letter as I haven't needed it for competition yet. He shakes badly in the field and I turn him out in a full mask with nose cover if there are any midges at all. The midges/flies have been lethal recently!
I think the nosenet is amazing - it is so simple and cheap - and it really does work. There are supplements on the market, but I don't know if they are effective at all.

 

[kayleigh_and_rocky]

Just to say, if the nose net doesnt work, try putting eat covers on (what you see the showjumpers wear) i put them on when rock started headshaking and he stopped straight away - turned out he didnt like the flies in his ears.

 

[sally2008]

Many thanks to everyone for your responses. I attempted the tights over the nose last night but he was having none of it and the headshaking was at near lethal level when I tried to school so I will invest in a nose-net on the way home tonight and see how it goes.

Thanks again.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Shame, but worth a try (know it works for some). Hope you have more luck with the nose net.

 

[sally2008]

Yeah, it was worth trying so I appreciate the tip. Hoping he won't find the nose-net quite so objectionable.

 

[alsxx]

Try getting some muslin from John Lewis or somewhere similar and you can cut it to what size you like and then attach it the noseband with plaiting bands - only works if you use a drop, flash or grackle noseband really as otherwise you end up with a big gap at the side which defeats the whole object - my boy preferred this to tights as it wasnt so restricting. In the end I got a 'proper' net as it didnt look so messy!!

 

[kjpattingham]

Hi, Have you seen the info on this trial at Liverpool (link below)? Might be worth volunteering as it won't cost you anything and the horse doesn't have to wear anything - I certainly know of horses that the nets just aggravate and make them worse! http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/397/119780.html

 

[Capriole]

rape seed pollen is around, i notice one of the mares i ride always snorts a lot ever time we ride past the rape fields

 

[Scarlett]

I've had major issues trying to hack my lad out recently - we eventually figured out his behaviour only got bad on our local common in trees, he would start headshaking and end up bucking and generally acting up. He has always been fine on the roads etc. Someone told me that it was prob a tree pollen allergy (he has never headshook in the field/school etc) so i got a nosenet and he is a changed horse! has hacked out twice now with no probs at all...

Yes they are expensive but deffo worth it!