Headshaking or am I paranoid?

[Chippers1]

Buzz has a pollen allergy so headshakes in some circumstances, and it's nothing like that he will also do a sassy head flick just like that when he's in a playful mood! I wouldn't worry.

 

[teddypops]

My Welsh cob does this when she’s feeling feisty!

 

[Kaylum]

She doesn't understand where she is meant to be going and then whrn she gets to go forward she can stretch her head out a bit.

 

[HollyWoozle]

Another vote for this just being sasspot behaviour.

 

[rabatsa]

My headshaker would drop his nose very low then violently swing his head up, as in it would break a riders nose, up. Nothing like H's sassy swing.

 

[Fluffypiglet]

Loving all the sass videos! My gelding does that whenever I trot him up for the vet. Wouldn't dare do it if the YM trots him up. He knows who's boss and it's not often me! ?

 

[CanteringCarrot]

My gelding, being the queen? that he is, also does this. Sometimes when I am free lunging him he will turn his head and look at me, and I'll give him an "oh, get out of here and get on with it" and he will do his sassy headshake and carry on. He's done it once or twice while riding.

Does it in the field from time to time.

Just another thing in the vocabulary of horse body language.

 

[Sir barnaby]

My mare did it when she was cross with being asked to do something she wasn’t happy with it reminded me of a toddler tantrum, so just ignored it

 

[Trouper]

If they could talk, I think it would be an "Oh, for heaven's sake" remark when other horses are involved or just a simple "Look at me"!!!

 

[littleshetland]

She's 'swearing' at you! lol!

 

[maya2008]

Attitude. My head shaker gives a kind of involuntary twitch. Minus supplement it is regular and more violent. Nothing like that - in the video of Hermosa she is telling you that you are being annoying!

 

[Reacher]

My late gelding that I had in my teens/twenties did it - we called it his “defiant head waggle”

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Both of my Arabs do it 1 does it so much on the lunge looks like he almost forgets to move his legs.

 

[HuskyFluff]

My appy does it - usually when she doesn't approve of something

 

[EnduroRider]

My old arab mare used to do this ridden and would flip one side of her reins over her head and they'd both be on the same side of her neck!

 

[palo1]

Both my pure Welsh D and my araby chap do this exact sassy head toss The Welsh one does it really quite a lot and particularly expressively just after she has done something 'clever' (eg jumping a new sort of jump) or when she is about to do something 'exciting'...I love it and I find it reassuring now; it signals a real engagement with whatever is going on. My arab chap just does it for no apparant reason but it usually seems connected to him feeling 'jolly' about something. That is often!! The Welsh one really can perform some lovely nose pirouettes in fact.

 

[Casey76]

Definitely sass!

My first horse developed HSS when he was about 17. The tics were very distinct, like he’d got an electric shock on the end of his nose, a very sharp, but small jerk of the head.

 

[Reacher]

Both of my Arabs do it 1 does it so much on the lunge looks like he almost forgets to move his legs.

Oh yeah forgot before we owned the horse I mentioned above we loaned an Arab who did it too!

 

[tristar]

she`s telling you to BOG OFF

we have a cob who does this its a dominance thing

 

[AandK]

My 8yo TB does similar, I call it helicopter head as when he goes for it his head goes round and round... Usually when he is stressed, wanting to go back out in the field after being stabled or sometimes when it's dinner time. He does it a lot less now than when I first got him in March '19.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

she`s telling you to BOG OFF

I don't understand why you are free lunging a young nursing mother. I would leave her and her foal alone to get on with being horses until much nearer time for weaning..

 

[McFluff]

My welsh D does the sass head toss too. Usually coz I've interrupted his flow, or stopped his trot floating away. Not great mid dressage test...but totally harmless and quite funny.

 

[milliepops]

I don't understand why you are free lunging a young nursing mother. I would leave her and her foal alone to get on with being horses until much nearer time for weaning..

i understood it that the video was from before OP knew she was in foal and that now she just sees it in the paddock.

 

[Caol Ila]

I don't understand why you are free lunging a young nursing mother. I would leave her and her foal alone to get on with being horses until much nearer time for weaning..

Uh, yeah. That video was from April (note how furry the horse looks, for a start...). I posted it because she flicks her head once, and it was easier to show the behaviour rather than trying to describe it. As I said in the OP, she does it a lot more since she's had the foal. I see her do it on my CCTV when following the foal across their field, so she does it even when there are no humans in sight.

 

[ester]

yeah youtube told me it was april I did have a hang on a minute moment tho!

 

[Caol Ila]

You really can't underestimate people's ability to jump to conclusions on the internet. Should have added, "This was APRIL" to the OP. The idea that Hermosa could be calmly separated from Caso and free lunging is quite entertaining.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I sort of sussed out the free lunging was pre baby

 

[PurBee]

Mine do it to each other often. Full-on sassy discussions!
My gelding when excited about something….normally food, does it beside me accompanied by a grunting sound - a sound ive never heard from a horse before!

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I could see her doing it more now with the foal. Have you ever been a new mother? Babies can be exhausting and test your patience ? therefore, it may be more of an exaggerated eye roll that she is doing now.

Just putting a lighter perspective on it ?

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Uh, yeah. That video was from April (note how furry the horse looks, for a start...). I posted it because she flicks her head once, and it was easier to show the behaviour rather than trying to describe it. As I said in the OP, she does it a lot more since she's had the foal. I see her do it on my CCTV when following the foal across their field, so she does it even when there are no humans in sight.

I am sorry I misunderstood your post.