Nosebands and headshakers

[Salcey]

My mare is a 'headshaker' and has been for 4 years. She slams her feet, snorts and throws her head around until she becomes quite dangerous to ride. All the normal things have been checked teeth, saddle etc and a nosenet cures most of the problem although she is still prone to snatching at the reins on occasion.
By chance her noseband was removed at the weekend as the net needed changing and I decided to pop on her without it.
It was an amazing transformation. She was soft, willing and stretching down with none of the normal throwing herself around.
She is normally ridden in a cavesson. The fitting has been checked on numerous occasions so what could have been causing the discomfort?
I encourage anyone who uses a nosenet to try without the noseband however suicidal it may seem. My daughter thought I was absolutely bonkers to even get on her without it as when she used to throw herself around she was so violent.

Am I right in saying you can't compete BD even at the lower levels without and noseband?? and if so why, as what benefit do you gain from not having one?

 

[Black_Horse_White]

My horse although not a headshaker does shake his when i first get on. I took my noseband off and he doesn't do it now either. I'm only a happy hacker so can't help with the BD question, sorry.

 

[teddyt]

Maybe the noseband goes over one of the facial nerves that is associated with the headshaking?

 

[Eventerchick]

will give it a go tomorrow! funnily I put a post on the vetrinary forum today about headshaking. Has anything else other than a net helped in the past?

 

[CrazyMare]

Try with a very loose cavason - I ride mine like that, after years of instructors strapping her mouth shut with a flash, I rode her without any noseband at all as she rubbed herself raw, and she was amazing!!

I fit my cavasson so I can get 3 to 4 fingers inside it, because she has to wear it to compete

 

[eventing09]

ohhh, i posted a nose net relief post litterally yesterday as my horse has serious issues now wit headshaking etc. just bought a bloody peice of net for £27 aswell. however my mare is ridden with flash noseband so do you think its still ok to try it considering it may be potenially fatal hahahahaha!!! thanks for posting this

good info

 

[Three]

My cob had to have his noseband so loose I could get several fingers under it (think half a dozen+!

).

Oddly he also likes his girth really tight - if I forget to tighten it his headshaking is much worse.

However, just recently the shaking has become so infrequent and usually minimal (he's had me out of the saddle and up his neck before as the shake sinewaves through his body) so we've gone to a tighter noseband.

I can still get three fingers under it and it has improved the 'fine response' steering no end.

Still likes his girth tight though!

Oh, and nosenets did nothing - in fact they irritated and made him worse.