Headshaking, WWYD?

[GypsGal1718]

My 18 y/o mare has had headshaking since before I got her. It never bothered her in the field but only when ridden without a nose net. With a nose net she is fine. Recently I have noticed her occasionally in the field (she lives out 24/7) headshaking a bit. Does it bother her? Should I look into treatment? Any success with magnesium in feeds? Any experience appreciated?

 

[Flowerofthefen]

My 18 y/o mare has had headshaking since before I got her. It never bothered her in the field but only when ridden without a nose net. With a nose net she is fine. Recently I have noticed her occasionally in the field (she lives out 24/7) headshaking a bit. Does it bother her? Should I look into treatment? Any success with magnesium in feeds? Any experience appreciated?

Headshaking it absolutely awful and can be very painful for the horse. My retired lad suffers with it. I use a full face mask in the field when pollen is around. Of course it depends why your horse is headshaking in the first place as to what may help. Sadly nothing helped my boy, i spent thousands. I used to ride first thing in the morning when he was much more comfortable.

 

[meleeka]

I’d try a fly mask with nose net. It helped mine, as did clipping him so he didn’t get too hot (it seemed to make a difference). I did give him Loratadine if needed too. Magnesium might be worth a try, it’s cheap and won’t do any harm as a trial.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

One of our friend's horses some years ago was head shaking. We sorted it out with him always using a nose net. This was not just in the field but also when being ridden. It worked really well & we could see that his shaking diminished. He needed it on in spring & summer, he was obviously having issues with pollen. There are some fly masks with a 'nose net' incorporated in them but we found that they had little effect. Buy a proper, stand alone nose net which is actually shaped to fit around the nose. They are relatively cheap between £5 & £10, this one looks quite good https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20452207...VgLew/tC9lu2VNtuGymnZu509I|tkp:Bk9SR4ycmdveYw

 

[GypsGal1718]

I don’t think it’s pollen but I will try magnesium, I do think it is quite mild as I have only seen her doing it a couple times a day at most just one shake, I have watched her all day. She does get worse when it is windy though. We always ride in an equilibrium nosenet

 

[Lucky Snowball]

Little experience of head shaking, Full masks sound good. I was going to suggest fixing the riding nose net to a field safe head collar.

 

[HannahB]

Do flies get in her ears?

 

[GypsGal1718]

My question is, would it be worth it to put a nosenet on in the field if she only shakes a little once or twice then is fine or put on a nosenet which may bother her more

 

[GypsGal1718]

And if I did try magnesium how much would I feed? Sorry about all this

 

[Pinkvboots]

It depends on why she is headshaking mine has a bit of nerve damage and it affects his trigeminal nerve, I find the less I put on his face the better if you put fly masks on him he just tries to rub it off nose nets make him worse.

I feed magnesium oxide I think it can help I feed between 20 and 25g I buy it from intra labs on ebay.

I have used a sacro cranial therapist in the past it tends to get worse after a session then calm down and generally be better.

I did find that when Arabi was having 6 weekly physio for injury rehab the head shaking really improved, so I do keep up with the physio now and I haven't used the cranial therapy for a while.

I did use Yasmin who is the only person in the country doing nerve release which I think really has made a difference, its not cheap but it's not an ongoing thing and she gives you some nerve release techniques to do yourself.

So really you need to know if it's pollen or season or just atmosphere related really, its a bit trial and error really unless like Arabi we know it was all caused by repeated guttural pouch infections that caused the nerve damage.

 

[splashgirl45]

My mare was a head shaker at one yard I was at , we were surrounded by rape fields and as soon as the rape started growing I had to use a nose net when riding, I then moved to a different yard with no rape nearby and she stopped. Could that be what yours is reacting to ?

 

[Hormonal Filly]

If it’s pollen up her nose, Vaseline around her nostrils might help! Definitely helped my mare this week, I find a nose net restricts her breathing slightly if doing any type of faster work and heard Vaseline can sometimes help.

 

[mavandkaz]

My boys head shaking is currently quite bad (for him), and is definitely worse on windy days.
If it is literally one or two head tosses in the entire time she's out, I wouldn't be too worried - could have just been flies/midges.
Wouldn't do any harm to pop a full face fly mask on and see if it helps.
I always ride my boy in a nose net, but he absolutely hates a nose cover on his fly mask and it causes him to snort and he spends most of his time trying to rub it on the floor.
Hopefully the pollen and the wind will settle down in the next few weeks, and then his head shaking usually stops being an issue for the summer, before it kicks off again in autumn

 

[spotty_pony2]

I’d try a mask with a nosenet in the field first to see if it helps, if not I’d be investigating further. There are so many things that cause headshaking it could literally be anything.

 

[maya2008]

My head shaker improved drastically with the liquid airways plus from global herbs. Hers was cold air/wind and pollen triggered.

 

[Sealine]

I use a nose net most of the year. The cause of my horse head shaking is the tiny flies and midges. I often struggle to see them but they obviously bother him. I'd try a fly mask with a nose and ears to see if that helps.

 

[poiuytrewq]

My question is, would it be worth it to put a nosenet on in the field if she only shakes a little once or twice then is fine or put on a nosenet which may bother her more

If it stops her doing it ridden it’s got to be worth a try in the field as well yes

 

[nutjob]

My question is, would it be worth it to put a nosenet on in the field if she only shakes a little once or twice then is fine or put on a nosenet which may bother her more

You will only know if you try it, headshaking is so complex and what works for one doesn't for another. Mine was definitely better with a nosenet when turned out but also when he had a dark fly hood to restrict the amount of light getting in as bright sunlight affected him, especially when the sun was low in the evening.

 

[poiuytrewq]

No idea if this is correct but it sort of makes sense to me. That nose nets help in the way that rubbing a bashed elbow or whatever does. You know when you wack your funny bone you instantly rub or hold it and that contact makes it feel better. So the theory i read was that the feeling of the net on the nose lessened the irritation causing the head shaking.
I could never understand why they worked so well, I'd assumed the idea was to filter out pollen but obviously the mesh is too big to keep pollen particles out.
My friends horse has one and without is quite violent head shaker but is completely normal with it on, I find it amazing! Sadly mine hates anything touching his face so it actually makes him worse not better.
I have had success last summer with nostril vet, I'd recommend that to anyone struggling. It doesn't stop it all together but definitely helps.

 

[HorsesRule2009]

No idea if this is correct but it sort of makes sense to me. That nose nets help in the way that rubbing a bashed elbow or whatever does. You know when you wack your funny bone you instantly rub or hold it and that contact makes it feel better. So the theory i read was that the feeling of the net on the nose lessened the irritation causing the head shaking.
I could never understand why they worked so well, I'd assumed the idea was to filter out pollen but obviously the mesh is too big to keep pollen particles out.
My friends horse has one and without is quite violent head shaker but is completely normal with it on, I find it amazing! Sadly mine hates anything touching his face so it actually makes him worse not better.
I have had success last summer with nostril vet, I'd recommend that to anyone struggling. It doesn't stop it all together but definitely helps.

I'm working on this idea, mine is a mild head shaker, sunlight causes us some issues as dies some pollen.

This year I have also been on a fat busting missing with him so he's muzzled when out and has been since early March.

When we were still having the very bad weather a couple of times I left his muzzle off as felt guilty putting it on in such conditions.

The days he has not had the muzzle on he has come in head shaking and desperately trying to rub/scratch his muzzle, he has been like this if muzzled.

My theory is the muzzle offers some sort of pressure/ stimulation to him and helps with the head shaking.

Not sure if I'm crazy or onto something but the muzzle I'd staying for thus reason and weight control

 

[mavandkaz]

Yes. This is why the nose net works for my boy. He also plays with it as I'm riding and will grab the edge of it with his bottom lip.
I also know he's suffering as if I'm leading him he will walk close behind me a wedge his nose into the crook of my arm, or will repeatedly brush his nose against my hand. I also find when he has physio he likes to rub/bury his nose against me.

My instructor had a client with quite a bad headshaker and they found he went much better in a double bridle as he seemed to like the feel of the curb chain against his skin

 

[GypsGal1718]

She does rub her nose a bit sometimes. I have emailed a specialist to see what they think

 

[GypsGal1718]

Also which form of magnesium is the best to give her, I have heard David marlin talking about magnesium glyciate and others about mag oxide, any opinions? Also boron?

 

[poiuytrewq]

Also which form of magnesium is the best to give her, I have heard David marlin talking about magnesium glyciate and others about mag oxide, any opinions? Also boron?

I’d love to be proven wrong but I don’t think you can buy Boran in the Uk

 

[GypsGal1718]

you can’t in the uk but there was a link on David marlins article to a us website that will ship internationally where I can buy it

 

[poiuytrewq]

you can’t in the uk but there was a link on David marlins article to a us website that will ship internationally where I can buy it

That’s interesting. I’d like to try it, although doubt my horse would eat it as he is so crazily fussy.
Was it expensive?

 

[GypsGal1718]

https://drdavidmarlin.com/boron-supplementation-for-head-shakers-trigeminal-mediated-headshaking/ Here is the article, it says about 50£ a month for the boron

 

[ecb89]

How does magnesium help?

 

[GypsGal1718]

How does magnesium help?

Supposedly it calms the nerves in the face

 

[mavandkaz]

How does magnesium help?

There is a train of thought that headshaking, and the firing of the nerves is caused by salt imbalance.
The flush of grass at this time of year, and therefore changing mineral levels can make it worse.
I'm severe cases, removing horses from grass completely has been shown to have huge benefits.