Mysterious 'itch' - advice please

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TURBOBERT

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This sounds ridiculous but I do need an answer - please. About 10 days ago - at the end of a lesson in an indoor school (no flies at all) my horse suddenly became very agitated. He behaved as if he had been bitten by a horse fly on his left shoulder. His twitched his shoulder dramatically and incessantly, kicked out and forward with his near hind - did little rears (unheard of!) and was so distressed I dismounted to avoid being dumped. He then settled and was fine once the saddle was removed.

I have ridden him since twice and on each occasion he has done the same for the first five mins or so and after I have worked him forward for about ten mins he has settled a lot but not completely. I lunged him today and was very glad I was not on him as he totally exploded - again clear problem with the near shoulder and trying to 'remove' something but kicking down his side - bucking rearing, bolting etc.

Has anyone any idea what this is about. He has no lumps, bumps or obvious pain on massaging shoulder and girth area. Could it be muscular? He is fine when loose in the field or in the stable. Trouble is I fear being dropped whilst mounting or just after as I am 'getting on' in years and no longer agile. It seems ridiculous to ring the vet about this...
 
Same on lunge - tried that today - but had a roller and side reins - so might be girth area I suppose.

Dont think it is the saddle as reflocked a year ago and fits well . Do have another saddle - a GP - but doesnt fit all that well and I havent used it for a while. I might try that after trying lungeing without roller and side reins. Ive also (at vast expense) bought some MSM today incase any inflamation somewhere! Thanks for your ideas.
 
Oh heck! He is already sensitive in drizzle and I put on a nose net when doing dressage in the rain. He doesnt head shake otherwise though. I wonder if you are right! I do hope you are wrong as treatment will be difficult - if possible at all. Do you have experience of head shaking this high?
 
Quick q - what sort of saddle do you have? Saw a similar reaction with a horse which had a wintec and one of the screws holding the headplate in place had dropped out so was digging in to its back - ouch!

If yours has a chagable headplate, or has been reflocked etc, is there any chance a screw or tack could have been dropped inside it somewhere? I'd spend a lot of time going over the saddle pushing it hard to check too I think.
 
Thanks. I will check. His saddle is an 'old' Albion Dressage saddle. Odd thing it is started at the end of a lesson in an indoor school. Perculiar if head shaking surely - maybe not. I wonder if he has 'tweaked' a nerve or something. I do hope so!

I will lunge just on a cavasson today without saddle or roller and do this for the next week maybe only every two/three days - and see what happens before starting down the vet route. I am a little apprehensive about riding him at present!
 
Do you have a good Mctimoney person near you that you use? I think I'd be getting them out too as they should spot something muscular related (which in my experience the vets may not). I have no experience of headshaking so no help there, sorry.
 
Today he was much better on lunge with just cavesson - no roller or side reins but still 'twitching' shoulder. Also he cant bear me pressing below his withers or along his side! Very odd but hopefully he has just 'done something' eg pulled a muscle or trapped a nerve. I have been teaching him changes - and he is 16! Trying to get the physio - meantime not riding.
Thank you all for your help and ideas.
 
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