headshaking; would you buy?

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daughter's groom

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Following on from the thread about which vice would be a no-no for you, I just wondered what people thought about buying a known headshaker. I have a pony who is not now, or ever likely to be, for sale who headshakes a bit but it doesn't affect the work I ask her to do.
 
No I would not unless perhaps it was a very good proven hunter who did not head shake in winter ( some dont ) who was perfect for Mr GS.
 
Having had one that, all be it, only did it mildly in the woods in summer I would say no. It drove me mad, even with nosenets, vasaline etc she still sometimes did it. Constantly having reins pulled, unable to trot for being whacked in the face and suddenly jumping like we had been electrified meant that we always had 2 months or so out of work in summer.

However that said I sold her honestly and still in touch with new owner. Interestingly she wasn't as bad when I moved yardsand hhasn't done it this summer with new owner, so there is hope!
 
It depends on where you live really. When I was younger we bought a pony for me to event and hunt, and when we got him home the rape fields around us made him a chronic headshaker. We tried nets and all sorts - and when nothing worked we tried to return him but the seller wouldn't take him back.

As luck would have it we shortly moved home - and he didn't headshake nearly so much in the new area. He proved to be fantastic, made it into the Pony Club eventing team and was a great pony, so we were rather pleased the seller didn't take him back in the end.
 
Unless the horse was perfect in every other respect, I wouldn't risk it. There are so many horses available at the moment, why take a risk with one that headshakes?
 
I've got one - I bouight him in winter - and I would never choose to have one. Apart from not being able to ride while the rape is in flower also as a chronic hayfever sufferer myself I think it must feel awful for him.
 
It is not always summer pollens and flys why horses head shake, can be sinus or suffering from azatoria, so I prefer to just treat the symptoms and if a horse has everything else I am looking for then I think I can put up with the head shaking if I cant find a way to stop it. Jesus was perfect and look what happened to him.
 
I have two and we manage them well. My two would have been out of my budget if not for the headshaking and as they are predominently dressage horses who only headshake on hacks in the woods I can put up with it. My mare is worse than my gelding and is at her worst around midday so we go early mornings or late evening if cool enough and if not we don't hack that way. They are mild cases though and I don't know what I would think about a chronic headshaker. Neither of mine headshake when schooling or in the field so it doesn't upset them much and I wouldn't say they are suffering because of it
 
No, I wouldn't. It's not an easy thing to get to the bottom of. I've known a few, one was a clients horse that she competed on the A circuit hunter-jumper which she eventually had to retire the horse from as his condition became unmanageable. Another we had in the riding school, also had to be retired to a companion as his condition was too extreme. Neither of these horses began like this but their conditions worsened every year and it really was heartbreaking, particularly with the riding school horse as he was clearly in a lot of pain.
 
This pony's problem seems to caused by tooth pain. Regular attention from Equine dentist seems to keep it to a minimum. It is definitely not related to pollen sensitivity.These replies are exactly what I expected. hence I won't sell her because I wouldn't like her to end up in the wrong hands. She is gorgeous though and such a good girl.
 
putasocinit said:
It is not always summer pollens and flys why horses head shake, can be sinus or suffering from azatoria, so I prefer to just treat the symptoms and if a horse has everything else I am looking for then I think I can put up with the head shaking if I cant find a way to stop it. Jesus was perfect and look what happened to him.[/QUOTE

Is that right? Horses that head shake suffer from Azoturia? My mare headshaked & had Azoturia, vet never said there was a connection! Also, when I googled the symptoms I never came up with a connection either. Would be interested to know.
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I wouldn't, but weirdly our 5yo started headshaking the second we got him home - cue lots of panic and vet visits. Couple of months later it stopped, been nearly two years since and never recurred. No idea what caused it in the first place, or what sorted it.
 
For me it depends on the cause. Iv known a horse head shake so bad that he would hide behind things in the field because he didn't like the wind going up his nose, however my sisters horse Patrick came to us as a terrible head shaker, but also a superstar. After a bit of fiddling we have found that a nose net suits him and he now head shakes very little, we wouldn't change him.
 
I would of when I was younger, however I'm too achy and sore from a normal ride, so a head shaker would be too much for me now. If the pervious owners had managed to control it so that it stopped completely then I may consider it, but only if was my dream horse in all other ways
 
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