Horse has started violently head shaking.... Opinions?

[Always-Riding]

I've stepped up the work level for my ex-racehorse whom normally is an easy-going type horse... Thankfully!!

For the past 10 days we get 10-15 minutes into working her and she violently head shakes, which continues until you get off and walk her then when you get back on she's perfect again, until the next time it starts.

I thought it could possibly be pollen so bought her a nose net and ear cover to see if that helps and it hasn't made a difference, albeit we've only used it today. Next train of thought is that its because she's getting tired in the heat and the break from ridden work while being ridden helps her (she is currently being re-schooled so it is hard work for her).

Back and teeth have been checked. Saddle hasn't been checked recently so that may be the avenue to go down but there is not soreness on her back when she was done 2 weeks ago and she doesn't flinch etc when tacking up.

I've also played around with bits and nosebands, again no real difference.

Does anyone have experience of this? Or any things to try to help?

 

[AnnaWM]

Could it be flies?

 

[*hic*]

Persist with the nosenet and believe it works, fit it close round her nose, not dangling some way off, give her rests and stretches before she NEEDS them and remind her not to when she starts head-shaking - ten days is quite long enough for her to have twigged how to get out of any further work.

It's probably something that's a related to a particular pollen if you've not noticed it before and will pass quite quickly.

 

[cremedemonthe]

Check to make sure the browband isn't too tight and pulling the headpiece up on to the ears, one of the more common causes for headshaking. If in doubt take the browband off completely to try her without it and see if it makes any difference, if not at least you can cross it off the list.

 

[be positive]

I have had several horses come to my yard that headshook all for different reasons, you need to go through many stages to find out why, pollen is the most usual and most improve with a nosenet, 1 had teeth problems, 1 had a deep rooted issue in his withers from a badly fitted saddle, that horse had been thoroughly investigated by a vet and nothing was found he recommended retirement from a proper ridden career, a few sessions with my physio, a change of saddle, some reschooling and it stopped completely. Another had a problem in the poll, again he was labelled naughty needing sorting out, some simple massage and physio, along with a looser browband was all the sorting required.
A tight browband can be the cause, pressure anywhere along the spine, a loose tooth or infection, wolf teeth etc, the fact she stops once you get off suggests to me it is back, neck or tack that is the problem and that once you get off she can relax and feels better, my true pollen headshaker is just as bad if you lead him once he has started to get stressy, he doesn't stop until he is back in his box away from the pollen, although he is not often too bad now he wears a net every day.

 

[Sprout]

Could be a pollen allergy as others have said. I had a mare who suddenly started head shaking in the spring and vet diagnosed allergic rhinitis. Meds were given initially to relieve the inflammation in her airways and then she always had to be ridden in a nose net bucket thing!

I hope you can find a solution.

 

[soulfull]

I would guess at saddle pinching in the wither area, as I've seen this before. The longer you are on board the more it pinches, you get off it feels better

 

[skyrock]

just a thought have you checked that there isnt a foreign body in one of her ears? sound daft i know but once heard of a pony head shaking and it turned out a child had stuffed a sweet wrapper in poor ponio's ear!

 

[ROMANY 1959]

If you think it's pollen , a nose net as others have said, my grandad always swore by lots of Vaseline round nostrils, tends to catch pollen. Wipe it off after riding..