horse dragging nose?

[ponies4ever]

Has anyone had any experience with horses dragging their nose on the ground when lunging or ridden? Mine has suddenly started and I can't find anything scientific on it online so was wondering if anyone has any experiences with it? Whilst in walk or trot she drops her head to the point where she is shovelling sand and its going up her nose and in her mouth. I try to push her out of it and she lifts up a little but when allowed to slow down starts again. I'm not sure if she'd do it ridden as she's not being ridden at the moment but I think she has done it in the past but only very briefly so i brushed it off. Also walking out on the road in hand yesterday she did the same think of dragging it along the road. Everyone I know is very confused! TIA

 

[Jo1987]

My headshaker used to do this, as she has only recently started doing it could it be pollen related?

 

[ponies4ever]

Hadn't occurred to me but that would be obvious! Do you have any idea how I would rule out it being pollen i.e treatments?

 

[Cobbytype]

Hadn't occurred to me but that would be obvious! Do you have any idea how I would rule out it being pollen i.e treatments?

Try a nose net? Do you have oil seed rape nearby - it's in full swing around here and the scent is quite strong.

 

[LaurenBay]

My mare does the same and I've always wondered why! Will be following this post!

 

[Jo1987]

Mine was much better in a nosenet so could be worth a try?

 

[MuddyMonster]

Mine does it as he's a seasonal mild head shaker, so assume it's pollen related. Without a nosenet it starts like this & then progress to shaking - a dab of vaseline or aloe vera gel around the nostrils & a nose net stops it completely.

Mine needs this from March - September usually.

 

[Tyssandi]

Has anyone had any experience with horses dragging their nose on the ground when lunging or ridden? Mine has suddenly started and I can't find anything scientific on it online so was wondering if anyone has any experiences with it? Whilst in walk or trot she drops her head to the point where she is shovelling sand and its going up her nose and in her mouth. I try to push her out of it and she lifts up a little but when allowed to slow down starts again. I'm not sure if she'd do it ridden as she's not being ridden at the moment but I think she has done it in the past but only very briefly so i brushed it off. Also walking out on the road in hand yesterday she did the same think of dragging it along the road. Everyone I know is very confused! TIA

Yes my late mare did occassionally as did her son but only to scratch or rub their nose specially if stung by nettles on a ride. She did have asthma and I used a nose net and must say I don't remember her doing it much with nose net

 

[poiuytrewq]

Assuming this is normal behaviour and not sudden onset?
Only asking as it was the first symptom in my horses recent illness but it developed in hours so don't panic if it's long term!

 

[poiuytrewq]

Sorry just re-read and see it's not sudden sudden but not normal behaviour.
Ours was neurological but as I say came on and worsened in hours so I'd not worry about that!

 

[ponies4ever]

Don't say things like that poiuytrewq! It's happened over a couple days but have seen it before! We don't actually have any crop fields nearby but I think I will invest in a nose net anyway then. Luckily she's never headshaken but that's REALLY not something I want to start as used to ride a horse that did violently and it was horrible.

 

[ycbm]

Mine did it after damaging his trigeminal nerve. He never head shook, but he rubbed his nose on the floor and between his own fetlocks.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Don't say things like that poiuytrewq! It's happened over a couple days but have seen it before! We don't actually have any crop fields nearby but I think I will invest in a nose net anyway then. Luckily she's never headshaken but that's REALLY not something I want to start as used to ride a horse that did violently and it was horrible.

Sorry 😊 Like I say though ours was crazy fast. Just such a weird symptom isn't it. My first thought was some kind of nasal irritation, I was wondering if he had something stuck in his nose or mouth somewhere?

 

[twiggy2]

Back, neck, shoulder or poll pain could be the cause and maybe she is trying to stretch certain muscles out?

 

[Nugget La Poneh]

Nugz does this on the lunge, but it is because he is threatening to roll (as the arena surface is very good for scratching apparently) and he will do it in walk/trot. It could be something as simple as this, especially as most of them are itchy through moulting.

What happens if you left her to carry on with her head down (so don't chase her up) while on the lunge?

 

[Pinkvboots]

Mine did it after damaging his trigeminal nerve. He never head shook, but he rubbed his nose on the floor and between his own fetlocks.

can I just ask if your horse had any other symptoms as one of mine rubs his nose on his leg when his ridden, and can I ask how he damaged the trigeminal nerve ? Thank you

 

[ycbm]

He was a head banger the entire time I owned him. Always with little nicks and bumps on his head. Then one day he did a real job of it and smashed his right hand eye socket while in a barn overnight. He was rested while that healed, and in a field of over ten acres with one building, no trees and a wall protected by electric fence, he smashed his left hand cheek bone right on the point where the trigeminal nerve is near the surface.

He had a blink rate which was usually around 80, highest in cold and/or windy weather. You could also see fans of muscles like fingers on his cheeks. Both of those are signs of pain. We couldn't find a way to control the pain, so he was put down.

Do you use a micklem bridle? If not I would try one, it holds the cheek piece steady where the trigeminal nerve sits.

 

[Darkwater]

My headshaker does this at times - A nosenet would be a very simple and cheap way thing to try initially

 

[ponies4ever]

Twiggy2 she does actually have physio coming out tomorrow to see if another issue she has is caused from tightness so we will see if this improves as well

 

[Britestar]

Mine has always done it since he was a yearling. Being led, lunged and he particular favourite - whilst galloping down the beach! He's not a head shaker, but does have nerve damage in his face after surgery as a 4yr old. ( but he did it before this).

It doesn't affect the way he goes at all, it just took a while to get used to him having his nose on the floor at speed. He did it when he evented too between jumps.

 

[Beth206]

My horse carries her head very low sometimes almost to the point it is on the floor but then can sometimes be a bit of a head flinger too. She is a traditional type and has a lot of feather and a long mane and forelock - wondered if she was getting warm and itchy. She has had her teeth done and I had a mctimoney chiropractor out yesterday for a once over - she is croup high as she is only 4 and still growing so she works mostly on her fore so can often be quite heavy upfront. There were no issues with her back but tension on her poll on the inside hand which the chiropractor sorted so really looking forward to riding her again to see what difference it has made.

 

[Pinkvboots]

He was a head banger the entire time I owned him. Always with little nicks and bumps on his head. Then one day he did a real job of it and smashed his right hand eye socket while in a barn overnight. He was rested while that healed, and in a field of over ten acres with one building, no trees and a wall protected by electric fence, he smashed his left hand cheek bone right on the point where the trigeminal nerve is near the surface.

He had a blink rate which was usually around 80, highest in cold and/or windy weather. You could also see fans of muscles like fingers on his cheeks. Both of those are signs of pain. We couldn't find a way to control the pain, so he was put down.

Do you use a micklem bridle? If not I would try one, it holds the cheek piece steady where the trigeminal nerve sits.

no I don't I have heard they can help I might try and borrow one, I have ordered nose nets and his having cranial therapy, his had several gutteral pouch infections the last one started in February and the leg rubbing started just before this and he rubs his face on things but doesn't head shake as such.

Thanks for the info sorry you had to have yours pts

 

[Kezzabell2]

my horse does this now, I started using a gadget, as he has a very high head carriage, so this encouraged his head down and when I stopped using it he still occasionally brings his head down, when trotting - he doesn't do it when ridden

 

[Pigeon]

Have you had a look in her nostrils and mouth? Nothing stuck up there? (like a thorn etc). Put some vaseline inside her nose and see if she still does it (I don't mean loads, just sort of as a barrier on the skin) - that would indicate it's pollen related. If it is you could try a nose net. There are supplements too which could help if it's a hayfever itchy nose type scenario. Did you own her last spring and did she do it then?

If that makes no difference I would have a phonecall with the vet. It could be anything from teeth to back pain to being bothered by midges.

 

[ponies4ever]

Had a look in nose but couldn't see anything however she does have a lovely snot stain on her new fly mask (covers nose) so she may have been trying to sneeze something out. She was tight over her back and in one quarter which has now been sorted by physio so she is sound again (wasn't unsound just not tracking up as much with one hind) so will be worked tomorrow. I will first now rule it out if it was pain and then will take your advise for Vaseline I did have her last spring and can't remember this happening? Thanks for all the help everyone

 

[Nirvana]

My mare started doing this exact behavior with her nose to the ground about a few years ago. She started doing it while under saddle and eventually I called the vet who said there were no signs of abnormality in her health or any pain. Even while lunging she continued to do this. After a while, I have studied the behavior and tried different approaches to it and have come to learn that this is a learned behavior (unless it's medical which is a different story). As she was being ridden, she learned that every time she pulled her head to the ground the rider would lose control and ask her to stop. She has since continued to perform this behavior as a way to communicate that she would like you to stop whatever you're doing. When I lunge her to a Trot she may pull her head down in attempt to get me to allow her to stop as she did under saddle. She stops the behavior as soon as I allow her to stop trotting. She's genuinely a laid back calm/lazy horse who doesn't want to do anything more than a walk. It's important to make she your horse never gets a hand of this behavior. The moment it shows up you may need to correct it whether it's medical or not. With this being said, I am working on this behavior. Good luck everyone!