Sypmtoms of a headshaker...

L

ldlp111

Well-Known Member
Joined
6 March 2009
Messages
6,899
Visit site
What are they?

I ask because i'm wondering if my mare is a headshaker :o
Short video http://s619.photobucket.com/albums/...view&current=Video0011.mp4&mediafilter=videos hopefully it will work
I'm not sure if it's flies which bother her so much or pollen etc. I have tried lots of different fly masks, sometimes they work other times they don't. Tried ones with ears ones without. Some days she'll be fine with one other days still chucks head around. Some days with and without a mask she will run around like a thing possessed :( ie something chasing her.
Sunday just gone I went to dressage comp. Warmed up for second test and then she did her ear thing, which basically she cocks one ear funny and shakes head abit won't let me touch it to check inside for fly etc. In second test she was really jerking her head, one minute she'd be ok then she'd jerk her head again :( So as i said not sure if was a fly bothering or if it's pollen or sun (as it was really sunny/hot) She's never been this bad before, we've occasionally had the ear thing and shaking head like something in her ear but she was jerking head with occasionally head shake.

Any ideas, info appreciated :)
 
I really want to just say that the symptoms of a headshaker are headshaking and walk away...

Actually that's what I'm going to do as I've never had one so can't offer any real advice - but she certainly doesn't look happy in that video :(
 
Just had a quick look on google and she does show some of the symptons but how do you know for definite? :o
I did go as far as buying a nose net but never tried it as she's not normally too bad when ridden. But perhaps I will dig it out.
 
thanks got a lesson today so will discuss with instructor and will find the nose net to try :)
I've not tried stabling her during the day, but may try this year.
 
The few headshakers that I have known were worse ridden and some showed nothing at any other time, your mare looks very unhappy and is constantly shaking rather than the twitch reaction usually shown by headshakers.

I would get a vet involved to thoroughly check her ears,eyes and teeth, it could be something causing her discomfort, the most recent one in my yard had an ulcerated area in his mouth where a small piece of tooth was not removed fully several years ago, despite regular investigations it was not found for 2 years, he was considered to be a classic headshaker but has now totally stopped.

A physio would also be worth a try, it could be a problem in the poll, pressure there can cause problems.
 
She has her teeth checked regularly by an EDT (off of here actually) no problems found. She had her eyes checked in december , possible start of cataracts found so will be checked every year now to see if any changes. She has her back done every 6 months ish by a Mctimmoney person and does have tension around withers. Have changed saddle numerous times to one which now looks a good fit and has just been checked.

Surely if it was a pain issue she would show signs all year rather than during hot days/ fly problems. Video is from last year or year before, she hasn't been like that yet this year...

:)
 
I read something the other day about seasonal high levels of potassium in the grass having something to do with headshaking.....but I don't know where I read it.
 
Hi :). We have a headshaker. Had her since she was 4 and now 14. She is a seasonal HS and is mostly affected on warm sunny days. Constantly wriggling her nose, banging her nose/face on her leg and rubbing her head on the nearest object to her. This is usually when she is under tack but this year she has started when being led from a headcollar. It is supposed to be like 'having a bee up their nose'. We have tried numerous products to help her and the only one that did was Naf shake relief but only worked for 2 seasons. She wears a full face mask that has the nose net as part of it (its a riding one). The first thing you should really do is rule out anything else by asking the vet. There is a jab they can give but not sure how successful it is. Our mare is so bad sometimes that she nis actually unrideable. She will bonk you straight in the face when ridden if your not ready for it. Its horrid for them and we have to pick our times to ride carefully. Another thing I have heard of but havnt tried is Nostrilvet. Maybe worth a look :)
 
My 4 year old started to headshake after I backed her last March, first I put it down to tension and her being a bit angry but soon realised it wasn't just that. She is worse if she gets hot, shaking her head and striking with her front feet. I tried Nostrilvet but had a real fight each time to get it up her nose, it didn't seem to do anything so gave up. I found that a nosenet made a 90% difference. She stopped shaking mid August, was fine through the winter and I felt that there was a bit happening yesterday so think its a seasonal April-August thing for her...whatever is growing during those months???
 
Thing is she's not like that all the time so what can a vet do without seeing that? I have vet out tomorrow for other horses vacc, so am going to get her ears checked if she will let vet nr them she's not keen on vets.
 
Oberon said:
I read something the other day about seasonal high levels of potassium in the grass having something to do with headshaking.....but I don't know where I read it.
Click to expand...

I mentioned it on the Phoenixhorse forum as it was also mentioned in the article on salt in the diet.

This forum http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/equineheadshaking/?prop=eupdate is very concerned about potassium levels with regards to head shaking, I know from my experience that removing a horse from a clover field (high K) stopped the haedshaking in a week (with additional salt).

The horse in the video certainly looks like a Headshaker :(
 
Thank you both:)

Agh!
So much to read and so little time
lol.gif
 
Ditto all the suggestions for the nosenet, Equilibrium do good ones. Would also agree it's best to get a physio to check her out as soon as possible. We had a mare who started headshaking around this time a couple of years back, due to the timings we thought it was most likely pollen related. She was a 3 year old then so wasn't ridden at the time but started headshaking chronically in the field and also in the stable. She was sound and regularly back checked but I called our chap out straight away. Turns out it was all shoulder related, he cranked it and gave us some daily exercises to do with her and she literally stopped that very same minute, and hasn't done it again since. The vets had suggested lots of different tests so I guess we were just lucky to put our finger on the problem straight away without racking up vets bills. Of course may not be the same thing with yours but well worth checking even if just to rule it out.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top