Trigeminal- mediated headshaking

[Vixen G]

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced a loan horse develop trigeminal-mediated headshaking before?

 

[scats]

We are querying Polly having developed this, albeit very mildly and seems to settle down quick enough. It’s been massively helped by the removal of her noseband, even though the other one was loose, just trying to do it up on its loosest setting caused her to start head shaking and rubbing her face against the walls.
Vet saw her and decided that at the moment, given Polly’s slightly unusual nature, we should just monitor the situation, but if it gets worse, we will look at investigating it further.
What symptoms does yours have?

 

[Vixen G]

Yes removed the noseband before but doesn't make any difference. He vertically head flicks, snorts, drags his muzzle along the floor and in the main part rubs his nose on his leg. Worst in Spring and Summer but is still a problem the rest of the year too. He's been thoroughly investigated and had some issues come up but now got this diagnosis.

 

[Vixen G]

Also only does it with exercise ( ridden, lunged and sometimes mildly in hand walking) fine in the field e.c.t

 

[Pinkvboots]

Have you tried different bridles or a nose net?

Mine has it very mild he rubs his nose on his leg a few times when ridden and sometimes will do it in the field, wind and sunlight can trigger his off.

 

[scats]

Have you tried different bridles or a nose net?

Mine has it very mild he rubs his nose on his leg a few times when ridden and sometimes will do it in the field, wind and sunlight can trigger his off.

Millie is a sunlight head shaker under saddle but doesn’t rub her face or nose or anything, she just head tosses.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Millie is a sunlight head shaker under saddle but doesn’t rub her face or nose or anything, she just head tosses.

Weird isn't it mine doesn't really head toss he will rub on me and my other horse though, he doesn't like being groomed in certain places with some brushes he prefers the metal coat shedder all over his body over any brush strange I know but he seems less reactive to it.

He only likes certain numnahs if he doesn't like one he will do the whole body shake while your riding.

I use a sacro cranial therapist for him which seems to help settle it all down but it has to be done regularly, he absolutely loves it being done and he loves the woman and its strange but just her presence on my yard makes me and my other horses all feel sleepy we all stand there yawning as soon as she starts.

 

[Vixen G]

Yes I have tried different bits and nose nets and none of it works so far. I haven't found any patterns weather wise though, I had a random good month in October but I don't know why. He's definitely not light triggered and pretty certain it's not allergy based either. Tried Craniosacral therapy but no improvement ( only had one treatment though)

 

[BBP]

Have you tried antihistamines just to see if they help?

My horse isn’t dreadful in terms of head shaking but he does get pretty miserable. He will flick his head in bright sunlight or if insects touch it, and will occasionally do a weird ‘Spanish trot’ trying to rub his nose with his knees as he moves. I had switched to bitless but found in the summer he didn’t like the slight movement or pressure of the noseband when giving aids so then switched to riding bridle less and off a neck rope which helped a bit (had the bridle on for safety but didn’t use the reins). I think he has a generally hypersensitised nervous system as he hates to be touched or brushed anywhere on his body (but like horse above can sometimes tolerate metal shedding blade). You can cuddle or fuss him. Antihistamines do make him happier but he had to be on them end of feb to sept/Oct.

 

[ycbm]

Does the horse get a handful of salt every day? It's a long straw, but anecdotally there are some head shakers that only need salt and if he doesn't already get it then it's got to be worth a try.
.

 

[Scarlett]

Could it be grazing related?

Look at the Calm Healthy Horses website. We solved a few issues, including head shaking in two horses, that was being caused by the grazing they were on.

Had one that was hyper, hyper sensitive to everything and head shaking was just part of it. It took a few months but he's like a different horse now and remains on the grass with just a couple of supplements, one being just cheap salt.

 

[Vixen G]

Yes he was on salt and had salt lick too. I'm not able to take him off grass though.

 

[Vixen G]

No didn't try antihistamines thank you

 

[showjumpingharry]

I had one who had this, was unrideable from March onwards and was only happy in the field when wearing a mask and on 20 something gabapentin a day. We were considering PTS then discovered he also had kissing spines so that was that. He was 12 and had showed no symptoms until that year.

 

[Vixen G]

Thank you, didn't have him checked for kissing spine as my vet didn't think it was likely and said if I wanted to spend money he suggested doing the PENS therapy. April to September is his worst times October was a good random month for some reason then started up again November though was mainly rubbing his face on his leg, snorting and little vertical ticks of head so was still an issue but not as bad as the Spring and Summer. He kept getting his face mask of annoyingly in the field and did not like it on ridden either ( though I am pretty certain he is not light triggered as face masks and exercising in the dark/ indoor school made no difference)

 

[showjumpingharry]

Thank you, didn't have him checked for kissing spine as my vet didn't think it was likely and said if I wanted to spend money he suggested doing the PENS therapy. April to September is his worst times October was a good random month for some reason then started up again November though was mainly rubbing his face on his leg, snorting and little vertical ticks of head so was still an issue but not as bad as the Spring and Summer. He kept getting his face mask of annoyingly in the field and did not like it on ridden either ( though I am pretty certain he is not light triggered as face masks and exercising in the dark/ indoor school made no difference)

Mine was also rearing under saddle and determined to remove his rider. We started investigating the head shaking as that was a very new behaviour (he had always been sharp/reactive) then had his back x-rayed one day when gabapentin was only improving his field behaviour not under saddle and discovered it. We were looking into PENS therapy until this point.

 

[Vixen G]

Interesting thank you mine never reared or deliberately try to get rid of his rider but he could be sharp but behaviour improved the more I did with him.

 

[showjumpingharry]

Interesting thank you mine never reared or deliberately try to get rid of his rider but he could be sharp but behaviour improved the more I did with him.

I suspect the rearing was more to do with the KS than the head shaking, it was just unfortunate that both things became an issue at the same time. Fingers crossed the PENS therapy works for yours!!

 

[Vixen G]

Thanks unfortunately pony isn't mine and I didn't feel like the PENS had a good enough success rate so he's gone home to retire for now