Snorting, sneezing - is this headshaking?

[boxcarhorse]

My horse is constantly snorting and trying to sneeze when I ride him at the moment. He's worse when he's being ridden "on the bit" but does it to a certain extent when out hacking on a loose rein too...

Is this a form of head shaking?

He already wears a nose net, which has stopped the conventional twitch type headshaking... but the snorting, sneezing is horrible and I feel mean riding him.

 

[FionaM12]

Mollie's a headshaker but like yours she's ridable with a nose net. She doesn't sneeze, but she does quite a bit of snorting and blowing, and has a few coughs before she gets going. Unlike the head-shaking though, it doesn't seem to distress her so it doesn't bother me.

The all-over head-to-tail full body shake is a bit unnerving though!

 

[Pedantic]

My pony suffers with the pollen this time of year, I found nose nets totally useless stupidly expensive and irritated my boy more than ever, try this..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRcTl3HGdSY

 

[emma.is]

My pony suffers with the pollen this time of year, I found nose nets totally useless stupidly expensive and irritated my boy more than ever, try this..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRcTl3HGdSY

Hypnotised by that mans voice

 

[MochaDun]

Last weekend and today when we've seen the sun again the pollen count must be higher I reckon, mine has been snorting a lot more on such days and tosses his head a little bit along the bridleway like something's gone up his nose - the track has thick hedges full of blossom etc at the moment but then he has a good blow and it clears it for a bit. I've tried the nose nets too and couldn't see much difference but might persevere with them once summer properly arrives.