Poor boy - headshaking

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itsmyparty

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Our new-ish boy (17'3" Irish TB, had him 3 months) has developed headshaking over the last week (and in the hot weather) whilst being exercised (flies/pollen ??). He's such an honest boy he just keeps on doing whatever is being asked of him at the time but with violent head twitches up and down. We've ordered a nose net for him to see if it works. Does anyone have any other suggestions if this fails ? I hate to see him in such obvious discomfort.
 
A friend of mine has the same problem with hers and it is definately a pollen thing - from the rape I think.

She uses a nose net and it works perfectly. Hope it's the same for you.
 
My lovely chestnut TB (died nearly 3 years ago) was a severe seasonal headshaker and could only be ridden first thing in the morning. I tried everything possible, including hugely expensive allergy testing (he came up allergic to about 16 different things, including the stuffing in rugs, various pollens and things) with hugely expense anti-allergen injections daily, homeopathic remedies, magnesium and other supplements: you name it: all with little effect. The only thing which worked and gave him any relief whilst being ridden were nose nets. Whether they actually filtered anything out, I don't know, or whether it was simply an alternative sensation on his nose. They saved the day. The only downside is that they can't be used in affiliated dressage competions (or least not then) but we'd never have been able to compete anyway, so it didn't matter! Luckily he rarely head-shook in the field.
 
Nose nets do defiitely seem to help.

However these werent workign for a horse at my yard. A combination of acupuncture and homeopathic treatment (administered by a vet!) have cured him this year
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You can use them now in BD if you get written permission. Sadly nose net just annoyed our pony - he would stand there throwing his head around trying to get it off!
 
Our TB headshakes when under trees, he gets to the point he is irrational and verging on dangerous and we couldnt take him off the yard, on the suggestion of someone on here we have been using a hayfever nasal spray on him once a day for the last few weeks and he is great! He even went to a show yesterday and stood under the trees in the shade having a snooze, even silly things like being able to stroke his nose and him taking his bit a lot easier seem to be the difference. He was better with a nosenet but would knock it up off his nose so its definately easier for us to be administering something everyday. Still need to take him across the common on a hack, this is where he is at his worst, but feel quite confident he'll be ok...
 
That's really interesting Scarlett as our boy is worse under trees too. Got vet coming on friday anyway so will ask about the spray. How long did your horse's "Hayfever" last for ?
 
He seems to do it when the trees have green leaves, so from March to Sept/Oct... he is fine through the winter.

We are using Tescos own brand nasal spray, squirts up each nostril each night... Spoke to vet about it first and he didnt see any harm in trying it - so far so good!
 
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