nodding horse

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BayLove

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Today I noticed my boy is nodding his head alot.

He lives out 24/7, has another gelding for company, and is on restricted grazing for field mates laminitis although I do let him out once a day for a while to get some longer grass as he's only four and still growing.

I put some roll on fly stuff on his face but I can't recall if I noticed the nodding before or after I put it on him. He isn't wearing a fly mask at the moment, will get one, and he does have a few flies pestering around his eyes. Again can't recall if the flies were present everytime he nodded.

He had the saddler out today and did a bit of walk and trot work and it has been very hot today.

So that's all the info I can think of,

what could the nodding be about?
 
Does he do it to great the another horse/you?
Is he standing/grazing/movingaround when he does it?
Does he look happy or annoyed when doing it?
And just to check... is it an up and down nod every time or some sort of shake movement?

Apologies for all the questions!
 
Tickles said:
Does he do it to great the another horse/you?
Is he standing/grazing/movingaround when he does it?
Does he look happy or annoyed when doing it?
And just to check... is it an up and down nod every time or some sort of shake movement?

Apologies for all the questions!
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1. Doesn't seem to be a greeting
2. Standing
3. Happy I think, he's not in a grump or anything.
4. It's up and down

At first I thought he's just getting rid of flies but he shakes his head side to side to do that, not sure what he's doing this nod for?!
 
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BayLove said:
1. Doesn't seem to be a greeting
2. Standing
3. Happy I think, he's not in a grump or anything.
4. It's up and down

At first I thought he's just getting rid of flies but he shakes his head side to side to do that, not sure what he's doing this nod for?!
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I would still put money (50p ;) ) on it being the flies bothering him, get him a fly mask and hopefully it will stop. :D
 
Faracat said:
I would still put money (50p ;) ) on it being the flies bothering him, get him a fly mask and hopefully it will stop. :D
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A whole 50p :eek: I will get him a fly mask. I was looking at them today and, this is a stupid question but it shows how my mind works, they were all black. Won't that just attract the heat? It's hot enough for him I don't want to make it worse and it can't be nice having big fleecy bits strapped to your face in the heat can it?
 
CarrieFlossMelody.jpg


The chestnut is wearing a Cashel, which is fab but easy to take off (luckily she doesn't take it off :) ). The dark bay is wearing an Equilibrum which stays on much better. The Equilibrium is black with blue binding and I've never noticed her being hotter than the chestnut in the grey mask. The grey filly now has a fly mask too. :D
 
Thanks Faracat. Will get the boy one and see if that solves it. It's not a problem yet but all this nodding does make him look a bit of an idiot bless him.
 
we have a TB that does this we put him on clarity from feed mark and it solved all the problems we believe it was pollen related as only does it when the pollen levels are moderate to high
 
BayLove said:
Thanks Faracat. Will get the boy one and see if that solves it. It's not a problem yet but all this nodding does make him look a bit of an idiot bless him.
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all mine are doing it because of the flies, one can't wear a fly mask... well you can get it on but trying to undo the vecro to get it off again sends him into orbit:rolleyes: the 2 little boys have got the hang of standing nose to tail side by side to use eachothers tails as fly masks lol
 
madgeymoo said:
we have a TB that does this we put him on clarity from feed mark and it solved all the problems we believe it was pollen related as only does it when the pollen levels are moderate to high
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Oh I didn't even think of pollen! That's something to consider. Thanks.

Ibblebibble said:
all mine are doing it because of the flies, one can't wear a fly mask... well you can get it on but trying to undo the vecro to get it off again sends him into orbit:rolleyes: the 2 little boys have got the hang of standing nose to tail side by side to use eachothers tails as fly masks lol
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Aww bless them!
The boy's never had a fly mask on before so not quite sure what he'll make of it.
 
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