plz help, wwyd???...

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kateknights

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Hi all, I took on a loan horse 4 months ago, after losing my confidence with my last horse, he had severe hacking issues! My loan horse has been great.
Anyway after getting back from a two week holiday 4 weeks ago, we seemed to go away and it was still winter, and came home to spring/summer! he's started head shaking. Last night being the worse ever! He's getting so stressed with it, he's starting to go up! I've tried a face mask you ride in, a nose net, he always wears fly spray? Now I am at my wits end!
My instructor came last night and agreed he's not a happy bunny, is there anything more I can try? I have the option of buying him if I like, but obviously if I can't hack in the summer it seems pointles! Although I want to do all I can to put him at ease, I don't want to waste a summer with him trying lots of things, meanwhile not having fun!
I hope this all makes sense, and would appreciate some help/advice?
Many thanks in advance
Kate
 
Have you spoken to your vet about this yet? Sounds like it could possibly be mites in his ears. We had this last summer with my girl. Removed the browband to take pressure off of her ears so as not to exacerbate the issue further, and had some ear drops from the vet.
Also worth getting teeth & back checked, as could be a pain response.
Maybe have a word with the owner to check whether anything like this has happened before?
Best of luck :)
 
He's just had his teeth and back done, I don't think it's mites, we have thoroughly checked his ears, it just seems strange that it's literally started in the last 4 weeks since the weather's been milder and the flies are out, along with the rape which we have in every field around here.
Thanks
 
Probably of no use to you, but a friend had a dressage horse who did the same, she put lots of Vaseline in his nose when she rode and competed him which did help.

she reckoned the Vaseline 'caught' the dust/pollen before he inhaled it. Very unscientific and probably rubbish.
 
speak to the owner about the problem, then speak to the owner about getting vet involved, i would not buy until you have an idea of how serious this may be.
if owner wont get the vet involved then i would tell them you wish to end the loan as you dont want to be paying for a horse you cant ride safely
 
My boy suffers with this too. Fortunately it only really lasts while everything is just coming out eg. Rape fields, pollen etc. I use the nose net which does help (have also tried Vaseline but not really sure if it helps or not) I try to ride in more open spaces I.e not next to bushes and it seems to better earlier in the morning before it gets too warm (not much of an issue at the moment!) hopefully yours might be the same and may only be a problem for about a month/six weeks a year
 
We have found Naf Respirator very good at this time of year when rape pollen becomes rampant.
 
my old horse was a sufferer and i used to use hayfever eye drops everyday -he did improve with them but i would suggest if its been since the dentist has seen him it could be related to that ,id get the vet to double check his teeth
 
My new horse has just started and I did a search in here, there was a thread which recommended salt, and lots of it. I decided at least I couldn't do any harm so am trying it for a few days. I haven't ridden him on it yet, hopefully tomorrow. I think it must be the rape, too, as he was OK until 2 weeks ago.
 
Hi Kate (It's Laura from Aldi),
I use global herbs pollenex on my mare she is not anywhere near as bad as yours sounds but I find it really helps and I always feed it this time of year I am quite sceptical about stuff like that but first used it on the recomendation of a friend who had sucess with a bad headshaker with it and I have to say I'm a convert mine is very sneezy with it and it seems to stop that. Would be worth a try you can get it from heckington supplies it's a liquid and is about £25 for a months worth. It definately sounds pollen related to me as he has been so good so far. How frustrating I hope you find something to help. I have also heard people have sucess with using vaseline I suspect the solution will be a combination of things did your full mask have ears? might be another thing worth trying it sounds like he is worth some effort to find a solution.
 
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