Headshaking? Not during exercise though??

[chocolategirl]

Hi, I know this should be in veterinary, but that doesn't seem to get as much traffic! So here goes, my mare has suddenly started acting like a typical headshaker, but only in the paddock? It's the typical throwing the head up and acting like a bee sting on the nose. She doesn't do any of this when I ride (at the moment anyway)? The only change to her management lately is I have started her on a high energy mix as my daughter has been doing some competing with her (jumping) and she was really struggling with the workload, hence the introduction of the mix? Is it possible it could be related to the new food? I mentioned it to my vet when he was here the other day doing vaccs, but he said if she isn't doing it during exercise, it's unlikely to be Headshaking syndrome. Is this right? I'm just not convinced and am becoming upset watching her in the field tossing her head up and down constantly. Btw, she is 10 this time, an ISH, and she has owned me for four and a half years! Any one else had anything similar which turned out to be diet related or other? Thanks!

 

[soulfull]

have you checked her ears? there are loads of those black flies about that get inside the ears and bite them.

my mare did exactly the same yesterday, she was going nuts, thowing head about, bucking, running about. I put her face mask on and some fly spray and she was fine

 

[be positive]

It can be diet related, I had a horse years ago that could not tolerate any sugar and the only symptom was headshaking the vets disagreed but over time it proved to be the only trigger.
Cut out the mix and give energy in a different way, oil or alfalfa, possibly cubes which are usually lower in molasses than mixes and if it stops you know what has caused it.

 

[Testy]

Could just be the flies coming out as others have said.
I started my head shaker on a high fibre, no cereal diet on the advice of my vet after we had tried everything else. It was quite a long time before I noticed a difference in him, so I didn't associate the difference with the diet change. Reintroduced his old feed and he started head shaking a couple of weeks later. He's been back on the no cereal diet a while now and the head shaking is actually getting better again, so definitly worth looking at diet changes for your mare.

 

[chocolategirl]

It can be diet related, I had a horse years ago that could not tolerate any sugar and the only symptom was headshaking the vets disagreed but over time it proved to be the only trigger.
Cut out the mix and give energy in a different way, oil or alfalfa, possibly cubes which are usually lower in molasses than mixes and if it stops you know what has caused it.

That's interesting. I wondered if it was more than just coincidence that this started within a few days of her being on this new mix. I will try cutting it out and see if it makes a difference and if it does, I will have to try a different type as suggested. Thanks and keep fingers crossed!

 

[exracehorse]

Could be fly in ear. Our boy done it when eating but not ridden. It was sharp teeth at back. He tossed his head as if bee on his ear. Teeth being done tomorrow as doing it again.

 

[chocolategirl]

have you checked her ears? there are loads of those black flies about that get inside the ears and bite them.

my mare did exactly the same yesterday, she was going nuts, thowing head about, bucking, running about. I put her face mask on and some fly spray and she was fine

She has always hated me touching her ears so would be difficult to check them properly. I would probably have to sedate or at best twitch which I really would hate to have to do. I did put a mask on her and sprayed her as I noticed the other horses where swishing tails, it's just she was the only one tossing her head up and down. I will be devastated if it dies turn out to be Headshaking syndrome but guess if it is, I'll just have to deal with it as best I can. Hate to think of her miserable. ��

 

[chocolategirl]

Could just be the flies coming out as others have said.
I started my head shaker on a high fibre, no cereal diet on the advice of my vet after we had tried everything else. It was quite a long time before I noticed a difference in him, so I didn't associate the difference with the diet change. Reintroduced his old feed and he started head shaking a couple of weeks later. He's been back on the no cereal diet a while now and the head shaking is actually getting better again, so definitly worth looking at diet changes for your mare.

That's good news thank you for that. Definitely going to try cutting out the mix and see what happens.

 

[chocolategirl]

Could be fly in ear. Our boy done it when eating but not ridden. It was sharp teeth at back. He tossed his head as if bee on his ear. Teeth being done tomorrow as doing it again.

She is due to have her teeth done next month so may bring it forward just to rule that out. Thanks!

 

[DiNozzo]

it could be a scratch in her nostril?
We had one that damaged the membrane in the field and whenever it was windy he would head shake and try to put his nose out of the way of it.
There was no way to fix it really, but he wore a nose net most of the time which stopped the air swirling into his sore nose and made him happy enough.

 

[rowan666]

That's interesting. I wondered if it was more than just coincidence that this started within a few days of her being on this new mix. I will try cutting it out and see if it makes a difference and if it does, I will have to try a different type as suggested. Thanks and keep fingers crossed!

One of our started head shaking a few wks ago, broke my nose in the process! I also changed his feed from calming chop and pony nuts to alpha A and top line mix a few days before it started... Think i may change his feed back after reading this thread and see if it stops!