would you buy a headshaker?

flintmeg

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unfortunately my new chap hasnt worked out, which i am very sad about:( but hey ho, it wasn't to be
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, so went to view a horse today, he seem nice but was told that he does headshake, only at certain times of the year, june and october are the only times, and it is managed by a nose net, so would you put you off? he seems lovely other wise...just abit unfit
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....thanks in advance x
 

Charlie007

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i have a headshaker and wouldn't be without him now but it is a pain in the backside!! Just June October? not june to october? Do you know what he is allergic too? If a nose net really works then great, unfortunately nose net not sufficient on my boy so end up riding at silly o'clock in morn to avoid pollen!! If he is great in every other way please consider him but also read up on headshaking as it is very frustrating
 

bigboyrocky

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I had a horse who mildly headshook in cirtain times of the year which was also controlled by a net.
In my experience it didnt effect performance and the net worked wonders. I would definatly get another one if it ticked all your other boxes, but try and work a little bit off the price as it does put some people off, so they wouldnt get so much interest.. Also if you ever came to selling it, it may also put some people off. But get this all writte down (that the nose net cures it etc) as if you ever had a problem with it you had something to refer back to
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Hope this helps.
 

flintmeg

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oh maybe it was june to oct i cant remember
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, really didnt sound like it caused any problems, no,forgot to ask about cause will find out, i am soooo forgetful
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, i am keen on him it hasn't put me off much at all
 

soulfull

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Personally NEVER EVER even if controlled with a net. Don't forget too that some horses are worse or better at different yards, depending on the surroundings so while it may only head shake at certain times in one yard it may do so all the time at another one. Also if they have told you it HS's then if he did it all the time rather than just when they said you would still have no comeback on them

It is not a nice thing to sit on a horse that is head shaking especially if you are not very confident.

A good friend of mine has a horse that hs's and controlled with a net. She generally does winter dressage etc but is still really limited to what she can do in the summer and swears she would never buy another one
 

bushbaby28

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i wouldn't- used to loan a headshaker, nothing could control it and he was totally unrideable from march- october. in the summer he used to sit with head in a bush as light made it worse and would drag his nose along the floor/pavement/fence. At his very worst he was stabled 24/7 was horrible to see and very much affected his life

although obviously not all that bad
 

cptrayes

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I would not touch him unless you can see him in summer on a day in full sunshine.

HUGE RISK - why is he being sold at this time of year?
 

flutterby321

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My last pony was a headshaker, he wore a nosenet all year round. When it was on he had no problem. We did all pony club activites and hacked out all year round. But i guess it depends how severe the allergy is.
 

piebaldsparkle

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[ QUOTE ]
I would not touch him unless you can see him in summer on a day in full sunshine.

HUGE RISK - why is he being sold at this time of year?

[/ QUOTE ]

Agree with above, Would they consider a loan with view to buy, in June, so you get to find out what his head shaking is like? Don't forget insurance won't cover as known issue.
 

soulfull

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[ QUOTE ]
I would not touch him unless you can see him in summer on a day in full sunshine.

HUGE RISK - why is he being sold at this time of year?

[/ QUOTE ]

This is also a fantastic reply and one to take VERY VERY seriously indeed!!
 

Dogstar

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I had a mild head shaker, she was my horse of a lifetime and it didn't bother me at all or affect her work, BUT I wouldn't deliberately buy one as I think it would annoy me now and there is no point in intentionally buying something with a problem, unless it's being practically given away.
 

golddustsara

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I have a headshaker - controlled by nose net. I tried him in September so it wasn't the middle of winter and could be hidden. Vet said given his wealth of BE and BSJA experience he would proceed. Saying all this I have moved yards and he is a little bit headshaky - hoping it goes away when he settles down and his back heals. I would say it is worth it if the horse has a lot of experience and can teach you. It can be quite stressful as I find I get very worried if he does a few shakes in a day and wonder if it is his back injury/pollen allergy. If you are an easily stressed person then I'd avoid it but if you are prepared to be patient some days and learn from the horse then it is worth it.
 

Loubiepoo

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Hi FnM - my advice would be don't buy the horse. I have a headshaker, bought in the winter, never showed any symptoms but from April through to July / August time my horse becomes very distressed. It is a heart wrenching condition, seeing your horse upset and in pain and not being able to do anything about it. Yes a nosenet helps a bit and I've tried numerous supplements but nothing will cure this disease. I cannot plan anything during the summer months and have to take each day as it comes. There are numerous trigger factors and the horse you are looking to buy may only shake from June - Oct at the moment but a move to a different yard / environment may trigger more attacks. For example, different tree and plant pollens, rape crop etc. Please don't put yourself through this, or at least go with Piebaldsparkle's suggestion of a LWVTB till July.
 

georgiesmum

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i wouldn't buy him now as someone else said loan him then consider your options etc, least you will see him in your own environment. I have a headshaker and his isn't managed by a nosenet i did try one but didn't help. He used to let me ride him when i first had him but now its got so bad he wont be ridden now. I'm not a confident rider and i used to get scared when he started shaking his head.
Good luck in whatever you decide
 

itsmyparty

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Our headshaker used to be fine with a nose net, now he isn't. It's pitiful to see him in the field on some days in summer (he goes mental if kept in) and we're working our way through all the remedies in the book. If anyone out there knows a good one then let me know! I wouldn't knowingly buy one I'm afraid.
 

alsxx

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I wouldn't, my section B developed head shaking when he was 7, he's rising 19 now, and fortunately for us it can be controlled by using a net and has never got any worse (he's pretty much retired now until I have kids lol), but you never know, some do get worse, and its a debilitating condition, and very sad to see them distressed.
 

Tempi

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I have a headshaker. She didnt get it until she was about 12 though (i bought her as a 9yr old). It does get worse as the years go on - she pretty much headshakes all year round now apart from in december and half of jan. She wears a nose net at all times and in the field in the summer she has a fullface fly mask. Dosent bother me at all and shes been out on loan for a year now and her new loaner manages her fine. She competed affliated medium level dressage and i had a dispensation so the nose net could be used. THats the only thing that when you are competing you need a letter from your vet for riding clubs and for affliated you have to get the body ie BD/BE etc to give you dispensation to use it.
 

Kenzo

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No I wouldnt, been there and managed it, some years were better than anthers, also have another which is one (the loan horse I currently have) but I wouldnt buy one knowing it was a shaker.
 

fruity

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I currently have a headshaker and would def not be without her she is my pride and joy now after a lot of tears and tantrums! I have recently got a new gelding who the girl thought was a head shaker but i'm beginning to wonder,she said he only did it when she rode him to the woods,the moment he shook his head she would turn for home and as he's a bit lazy in mind anyway i'm starting to think this is a learnt behaviour. She hasn't investigated it at all and isn't exactly experienced. I would advise not to buy one unless you have experience of the problem and are prepared to manage the condition,i am lucky as i work at a vets and have access to vet supplements etc at a low price and know what measures to take to relieve the horse in summer.
 

DiablosGold

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My boy wears a nosenet in the summer months and is absolutely fine, however I loaned him for 6 months before I got him, and so I knew it was easily managed and not really an issue.

I would worry about buying a headshaker at this time of year because you don't know how serious the headshaking is.
 

saddlesore

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Not knowingly!! My last horse was a headshaker, and like others have said it got progressively worse, although luckily his was manageable with a nose net. However, you still had to be careful where they are stabled/ridden (esp in summer) and when they do start headshaking it is scary (esp if you are on the road) as they have no control of their movements and can shake so violently that they stagger all over the place - not nice if you are a distance from home! Selling him at this time of year sounds like they are masking the full extent of the problem
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625

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Yes I did buy a headshaker 10 years ago still have him bless him x, and NO I will never ever buy another one!!!! I tried all sorts of treatments/clinical trials etc with not alot of change.
 
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