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FREE EQUINE Here he reproduces in the form of questions and answers about 100 topics, all of them common problems which afflict horses. To access Topics click on Vet Advice Menu. |
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headshaking
I'm now really worried because the first question he asked was whether I had loss of use insurance! At the moment she only shakes her head on a long rein but the vet indicated that this was just the beginning. I dearly want to keep her, is there anything I can do? A: The key to resolving this problem is to discover why your mare is shaking her head. The root cause is probably some irritation to the head, nose, eyes or ears. Sometimes, general nervousness and worry not related to problems with the head can cause a horse to headshake. We usually find the most common reason for headshaking is an allergic reaction to something in the environment which makes a horses head, nose and eyes itch. This may be a very mild stimulant but it can have a dramatic effect on the horse and make him shake his head. Pollen is the most likely culprit, although there are many other things that a horse could be allergic to which could cause symptoms at anytime of the year. The other causes of headshaking are usually tack not fitting properly, problems with the ears, such as those caused by mites or ticks and diseases related to the nervous supply to the head. Treatment of these cases is often difficult and expensive and you should start with some simple alternatives once your vet has isolated the lost obvious causes. If the problem is related to allergies the use of herbs is often beneficial. I use a specific formulation which seems to help in a large number of cases. In addition to using specific mixes, you could try calming herbs such as valerian, which help your horse worry less about the irritation. Herbal calming mixes are not an alternative to veterinary products such as ACP but are useful because you can use them over extended periods, which is not possible with powerful veterinary drugs. Acupuncture may be useful in find the extract site of the irritation. Some acupuncturists can pinpoint the location of these problems by feeling which acupuncture points are most sensitive on the body or inside the ear. Try one approach at a time so you can be sure what is working and also consider asking your vet to refer your horse to a university conducting research on headshaking. Back
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