Headshaking problem (video) - Help/advise needed

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JessPickle

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This is one of the RS horses at my yard, he has a big problem with headshaking! he has been checked physically and had many different checks/tests and is physically fine!

When he first came to the yard he didn't have a headshaking problem for the first 6 months or so, he then developed a chronic headshaking problem, he then had a couple of months off and seemed better briefly, but yet again he is bad again. He mainly headshakes in walk/trot rarely in canter! They have tried so many different things and now running out of ideas, listed below is everything they have tried and a video

They have tried:
Various masks
Nose masks
No shoes
Shoes
Bitless Bridle
Bitted bridles
No contact
Contact
Bareback

Video:

 
Don't know if it was just the visoe not running smoothly, but it didn't look like headshaking like i've seen before. I haven't come across too many, but their's was a lot more persistant to the point you couldn't get anything out of them.

Have you had it's back and saddle checked. My pony used to throw his head around a lot and I found out it was his saddle. Apparently a shake of the head can relieve tensions in aching muscles in the back.

You say you've had him checked. What did the vet actually say? Is it all year round or seasonal?
 
Obviously his teeth have been checked too????

It looks more like an avoidance habit than a headshaking problem..... though i am no expert on them... .I thought headshaking to be more violent than that???
 
Hi my loan horse came to me with a headshaking problem, with time and sympathetic riding and schooling and eventually it stopped, we think it was caused by anxiety/stressing when ridden as she was quite green. Wonder if your rs pony is doing it because of the novice riders may be hanging off his mouth/having set hands/arms. I could be completely wrong but just an idea.
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well that is just a short clip, he is a violent headshaker, like at times it looks like he could knock out his rider! look like almost spasms (hard to explain), vets for a while thought it could be pollen, but then said not possible as it is all year round. Everything you can think of has been checked!
 
Doesn't look like headshaking that I have seen either. I would be getting back/saddle/teeth checked, to see if it is pain related.
 
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Hi my loan horse came to me with a headshaking problem, with time and sympathetic riding and schooling and eventually it stopped, we think it was caused by anxiety/stressing when ridden as she was quite green. Wonder if your rs pony is doing it because of the novice riders may be hanging off his mouth/having set hands/arms. I could be completely wrong but just an idea.
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well allthough he is RS pony he isn't used in the RS anymore! its not fair. Only ridden by the girls that work up there/liveries (i.e me!)
 
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Doesn't look like headshaking that I have seen either. I would be getting back/saddle/teeth checked, to see if it is pain related.

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allready checked!
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also meant to say he does it when standing on the yard with no tack on as well
 
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I don't know then. It doesn't look very comfortable for rider or horse.

Headshaker I had was just up and down up and down, but different to the one you shown.
Is he like it on the lunge without rider?
 
Looks like he has been in pain, either from rough hands or a bad saddle/painful back and he is expecting it to hurt him again.
It might be that nothing is actually hurting him now but he is expecting it to so is still shaking his head.

My mare used to do this when I first got her, she was used for novice people, who had obviously socked her in the teeth so she used to throw her head up at the contact, now she had learnt it doesn't hurt she had stopped.
 
It might be worth checking the following;
Teeth - maybe an abscess causing him pain, or just sharp edges
Bridle fit - particularly that the bit suits the shape of his mouth, and is not too high. Worth also checking the headpiece and browband are not too tight, pinching his ears.
Saddle fit - as back pain can cause head shaking
Back - in case sore muscle, kissing spines, trapped nerve/pelvis out
Soundness - low level lameness can sometimes manifest itself in unusual ways
Allergies to dust/pollen/etc.
Hope this helps (can you tell I have a headshaker
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?)
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Thing is he has always been well looked after, was always the perfect pony! he is the same with/without the rider! he is now only ridden by better riders and this has been the case for 6 months plus, with no improvement! he has gone very slighly better in the bitless bridle
 
Well, a client of mine had a pony that did it in spasms, stood up on the yard and ridden. It was so bad ridden that he almost fell over. However he also had intermitent (sp?) lameness problems behind. He was sent to vet hospital and nothing ever came up, but they thought the head shaking was related to lameness. He has been retired.

I think the reason people are saying the head shaking isn't what they've seen is that usually you couldn't really ride one, let alone jump safely. I think you should get a second opinion.
 
Yeah everyone at my yard is confused obviously could not be headshaking but I don't know what else to categorise it!

He is actually pretty good at jumping! even with the headshaking! also he doesn't headshake much in canter, walk is his worse pace
 
Has it started since he's been ridden by more experienced riders?

If so it could be that he's developed more muscle on his shoulder causing his saddle tree to pinch slightly. I know you said he's like it bareback but once his shoulders are sore they'll stay that way with or without a saddle.

I only mention it because it's something my horse suffered from. Saddle appeared to fit properly, sat straight, plenty of wither clearance but it was only after it had been changed and his back worked on that there was an improvement.

Browband fitting is also key, again they can look fine but are uncomfortable for the horse. Could be worth trying him without one?
 
Nope he started with kids riding him, then because they couldn't cope with it/ ended up in tears more experienced riders ended up on him

Well yard has the saddle fitter out in a few weeks time and every saddle will be checked then
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Okay, you asked for opinions and I will give my honest opinion, though I doubt it'll be what you want to hear.

You say that the horse is now only ridden by experienced riders. Whoever is riding in that clip isnt what i'd call an experienced enough rider to be riding a horse you've described to have headshaked so badly that it almost knocked someone out... at times they are hanging on his mouth, and that, IMO is the problem. He is hollow, and he is avoiding any contact because he looks to be in pain. And IMO that means he shouldnt be ridden until this is sorted, let alone jumped. It could be causing the horse more pain and could be a recipie for a nasty accident.

This is, of course, just my opinion given from the short clip shown.
 
Sometimes it's really difficult to find the cause of pain, especially when it could all be behavioural. Pop him on painkillers for three weeks, if he stops doing it then there is pain somewhere and this will make it easier to keep looking for the cause until you find it. If he does not stop doing it, then it is bahavioural and perhaps you need to consider radical changes in his lifestyle.
 
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Okay, you asked for opinions and I will give my honest opinion, though I doubt it'll be what you want to hear.

You say that the horse is now only ridden by experienced riders. Whoever is riding in that clip isnt what i'd call an experienced enough rider to be riding a horse you've described to have headshaked so badly that it almost knocked someone out... at times they are hanging on his mouth, and that, IMO is the problem. He is hollow, and he is avoiding any contact because he looks to be in pain. And IMO that means he shouldnt be ridden until this is sorted, let alone jumped. It could be causing the horse more pain and could be a recipie for a nasty accident.

This is, of course, just my opinion given from the short clip shown.

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I do know that, it was the only clip I could find. In reality currently it is me and my best friend riding him currently, I feel I am experienced enough to handle him now. I could only find those clips not the best example as there is never anyone there to film when I ride him.

He had months off and it was never solved! we are trying everything alongside vets advise but he cannot be taken out of work otherwise he goes absulutely nuts!
 
I used to have a headshaker and he didnt look anything like your pony. IMO it looks more like a teeth problem or no confidence in the riders hands. He certainly doesn't look like he's having much fun
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I also have a headshaker and her headshiaking is a much more up down violent movement she also slams down her front leg whilst walking or trotting. What is the horse like out in the paddock?
On bad days my mare will drag her nose along the floor to try and gain relief in the paddock.
IMHO the resistance in your video does look more teeth/pain related to me.
I do hope you find the solution
 
I don't think that's headshaking as in allergy at all.
Look at his expression and the way he is trying to get his mouth out of reach of his rider.
He has either got a tooth that's hurting or some pain elsewhere, but he's trying to evade the pain.
Has anyone ridden him in a very light headcollar with reins, does he stop doing it then?
(I know you said bitless bridle but it might be the top of his poll is injured causing pressure pains).
Does he do it on the lunge?
We got a headshaker to retire, when he first arrived he had runny eyes, swollen face etc. The climate here is as good as you can get for such horses, and unless you bring him into a stable environment he shows no symptoms at all.
this pony looks nothing like that at all to me, more pain related.
 
Hi, I've not seen the clip, but I've worked with headshaking a lot over the last few years and I can tell you the real tell tale signs.
1. Vertical headshaking (much more than horizontal shaking).
2. Anxiety (these horses are very upset / anxious).
3. Snorting / "bee up nose" behaviour.
4. Staring
It can occur at any time. Over summer is more common, but in some horses the season extends until it is going all year round. Some are all year round from the start. Usually show signs ridden and unridden, with differing levels of severity. The allergy connection is that the reaction is triggered by an allergy or hypersensitive response, which might be pollen / sunlight / wind etc - but again varies in all horses, I've known one that was triggered by rain drops! The reaction itself is not considered to be an allergy though, more a neuralgia - hence, the pain and anxiety. Hope this clears things up a bit.
 
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