Those with headshakers

[shadowboy]

Please do you mind reading the following and giving your experiences.

My boy looked to start headshaking on and off this winter. It was quite bad half way through my lesson today. It started about 20min in -instructor wiped his nose and then it stopped until about 20min towards the end of the session.

He rubs his nose on his leg and drags it on the floor once the lesson is over. He stopped once we got back in the american barn. He only ever does it when its either windy/raining/snowing.
He has done it while I lead him in from the field so I know its not bit related.

Teeth were done in October. Bit is a 16mm Neue schule starter lozenge loose ring. He hasn't done it for about 2 weeks until today. Is it likely to get worse? Might pollen start affecting him in future? does anything help?

 

[FionaM12]

I find a nose-net for Mollie helps a lot. It seems to reduce the irritation. Mollie mostly head-shakes in the summer, but when she does, it's bad.

I read that it may be a little like neuralgia in people, and possibly very painful. Mollie's is probably related to a very bad head injury I now know she had many years ago. She cannot stand a brow band, I tried different sizes and types to no avail.

I tried a bridle without a browband, but the bridle slips down the neck. Through trial and error though I discovered a Dr Cook style cross-under bitless bridle doesn't slip without a brow band so that's what I now use: a bitless bridle, with a nose-net added from about April to September.

It might look slightly odd, but she's perfectly comfortable now, no headshaking.

 

[whizzer]

I have a pollen triggered head shaker,he was a very,very mild case until extensive sinus surgery made it worse. Over spring,summer & early autumn I use a equilibrium net & an ear cover when riding,I avoid walking him through long grass or areas very closed in by hedges as this seems to make it worse. He's only been fairly bad last 2 summers so I'm still experimenting, I'm going to try a micklem bridle soon & may also get a full face mask. I've accepted the fact it seems to make him feel sluggish & won't push him too much this summer. I've been looking into feeding supplements but he's a difficult horse to get to eat a feed when he's out all the time in summer but I may try something this year. On a bad day he stands headshaking in the field but I'm reluctant to bring him in as he really hates being in during the summer & as he's had gastric ulcers several times I'm reluctant to have him in refusing to eat & brewing ulcers! I usually use a face mask in summer in the field & I think I'll have try one that covers nostrils etc this year to see if that helps.

 

[merry mischief]

Jim head shakes in rain, snow and wind. It came on last winter and got a hundred times worse after box rest. It's better now he lives out (with large run in shelter). He doesn't shake with pollen just wind and rain, sorry I can't be much help as I've never managed to find out much about it myself, most horses seem to be triggered by pollen. MM

 

[shadowboy]

Thanks mm seems mine isn't the ou one. My instructor has a theory that it is triggered by the flue vaccination.....

 

[Farasi]

My mums mare headshakes in the summer. We use a nosenet but the thing that really made a difference last year was giving her loratadine, just Morrison's own brand, so cheap! But if it is not pollen related it may not help.

 

[merry mischief]

I have heard rumours about it being related to vaccinations, Jim had his booster on mon, I've not been with him in the rain yet but i'll report back as soon as I am.