Department of Biological Sciences - Research

First steps

First, there are some tests you can do yourself to establish the likely cause of headshaking in your horse:

1. See the vet first.  They can make a diagnosis, rule out other causes and suggest veterinary treatments.

2. Rule out other causes such as tack, lameness, etc by exercising the horse without tack, without a rider, with a different rider, etc.

3. Check if the horse improves indoors or at night or if there is strong reaction on bright sunny days. If this is the case then your horse might be a photic headshaker.  You could then try a face mask, see Face masks, only riding indoors or at night.

4.  Start making a diary of times and situations under which your horse is worse or better.  Many people report that:

  • Exercise (as you continue or speed up)
  • Warm weather
  • Sunshine
  • Rain (especially light rain)
  • Hedgerows and trees
  • Small black flies and midges
  • Certain crops (rape is a particular culprit) -we don't know whether this is because of an increase in small flies, particles, smells or crop sprays in these areas
  • Stressful situations

......................................................... Make the symptoms worse

And;

  • Only light exercise or only walking
  • Riding indoors 
  • Riding early morning or later at night
  • Heavy rain
  • Dull, wet days
  • Cold weather
  • Exciting events, i.e. jumping (don't try this unless you're confident!!)

......................................................... Make the symptoms better

5. Try some of the management aids or alternative therapies listed below.  These are treatments that have been reported by other owners to have helped.  However, to date, the efficacy of many of these remedies has not been properly evaluated, nor is there any evidence that they specifically help one particular cause or trigger of headshaking, see Work at Lincoln University.  For details of possible suppliers see Products or search the web yourself.  If you have any new suggestions please email.

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Nose nets

Nose nets can come in various forms.  No-one is quite sure how they work - in most cases the holes are too big to filter out irritants. Suggestions are that they help by providing a counter irritant (a comforting itch) that distracts the horse or that they alter the airflow inside the nostrils thereby reducing any irritation caused directly by the wind or particles inside the nasal passages.  Play around with different styles to find one that suits your horse.  Some horses like big nets that cover the entire muzzle others are happy to just have a flap of material hanging over the nose.  You can make your own from a pair of tights, see www.headshaking.de/Hilfsmittel/hilfsmittel.html or see Products for suppliers.  Our surveys and trials have consistently shown that in general nose nets are reported to help over 70% of horses, and between 30-60% substantially. See Work at Lincoln University

As of 1st March 2001 British Dressage have approved the use of the half nose net, see Equilibrium Products in all affiliated competitions. However, you may need to take along with you a letter from your vet confirming that your horse is a headshaker. For more information please contact British Dressage, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, Warks CV8 2LR

Fly fringes may work along similar lines but look less unusual.  Try taking a fly fringe and attaching it to the nose band so it hangs over the horse's nostrils. Ear nets may also help if the horse seems bothered by flies around its ears. 

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Face masks

Facemasks can also vary in style and degree to which they filter out light.  If your horse is bothered by flies around its face then a normal fly shield may help.  If your horse is a photic headshaker then you might need a thicker mask that gives substantial UV protection to the eyes. However, recent studies at Lincoln have suggested that covering the eyes is not as helpful to British headshakers as it appears to be for American horses. See Work at Lincoln University.

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Changing tack

Adjust or change your tack, looking for 'kinder' rather than harsher alternatives.  Try removing the nose band and/or flash to relieve pressure on the nose.  Gadgets to prevent the horse moving its head rarely work effectively and do not get to the bottom of the problem - so throw away those draw reins!

Think about your bit and whether your horse might prefer a kinder one or even no bit at all! Pressure on the mouth may be cause or exacerbate the problem and it has been reported that many horses can improve after removal of the bit.  See also Work at Lincoln University

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Herbal supplements

Various kinds of supplements have been tried for owners, including ones that are used for the treatment of respiratory allergies, immune problems or over-excitability. In our last survey of 200 headshakers we found that over 60% of owners reported trying an herbal supplement and over 40% of these reported that they were at least partially helpful.  However, see Work at Lincoln University.

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Homeopathy

Homeopathic treatments usually involve injections, small pills or drops of solution to be put on food items.  A course can be very expensive and efficacy may depend on the quality of the product or the practitioner dispensing it.  It may take some time to see a response too.  Although homeopathy works by administering solutions that refer to the symptoms of each individual horse, it appears that most homeopaths are working on the basis that the horse is suffering from an allergy of some kind.  In our last survey, reports were very similar to the use of herbal supplements (around 40% had tried it and over 40% of these reported at least partial improvement).  Some vets can prescribe homeopathic treatments and will often recommend other management changes too which can increase the chances of success.  A recent small scale trial of a homeopathic treatment (no longer available) on German headshakers found that 9 out of 11 responded well but they were also asked to make management changes, see below. We desperately need a placebo-controlled study of a homeopathic medicine for headshaking to see if this treatment is worthwhile.

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Physical therapy

Various owners have reported improvements from chiropractors, back specialists, EMRT, massage and other kinds of physical therapy. It has been claimed that back problems, including spinal injuries might be a cause of headshaking, either directly or by causing trapped nerves. Sometimes the source of the pain can be identified and physical therapy can realign spinal elements. Or massage may help to relax the horse or improve its general movement irrespective of the headshaking. EMRT (Equine Muscle Release Therapy) or the Bowen technique has been used on some headshakers, see www.eques.com.au/alternative.html However, in our two surveys although many owners had tried a ‘back specialist’, it failed to help nearly 80% of these. More research needs to be done on the effect of the specific techniques and how to identify which type of headshaker might benefit.

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Dietary changes (Please check with your vet first!)

  • Garlic supplements
  • Avoiding sugars and refined foods in the diet
  • Soaking hay at all times or feeding haylage instead
  • Magnesium supplements
  • Vitamin C supplements
  • Feeding a small amount of locally-produced honey. The theory is that the honey contains traces of the pollens local to the area and so the horse is able to build up a tolerance to it. Honey is also reported to bestow other benefits to health but no trials have yet been done with headshakers.

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General avoidance tactics

  • Move your horse to a different field or livery. May be worth it if you live right next to a rape field or other crops which you feel might be implicated.  Some horses spontaneously improve for no apparent reason when moved so this might be worth a short-term assessment
  • Try riding at different times and places. Some owners report improvement when riding on the beach, on roads or open areas, early morning or late evening, or in an indoor school
  • Stable the horse in the day and turn out at night

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Other tips

  • Change their level or type of work, they may prefer to work less (or more)
  • Put high factor sun-block on the nose, particularly if it is pink or cover it with a face mask or nose net at all times
  • Some owners have reported improvement if the horses nose and muzzle is smeared in ‘Bonjela’ (children’s teething gel). The small amount of local anaesthetic in the gel may help to sooth the horse’s irritation.
  • The use of aromatherapy oils may help to keep flies away, sooth or distract the horse. This solution was recommended by an owner - 20ml of sweet almond oil (base) mixed with 5 drops each of tea tree, lavender & geranium oil, shaken and applied to horse's forelock, muzzle, jawline and base of ears (Mrs. S. Clegg). 
  • Citronella, eucalyptus oil or a mixture of olive oil & vinegar may also act as a fly repellent or distraction for the horse. Be careful with these oils as some horses have very sensitive skin and may react adversely. Consult your vet first!
  • The best fly repellents are fly tags (available from your vet) or a solution of 1-teaspoon kerosene/pink paraffin in a bucket of water mixed and then sponged over the horse. This mixture will last a long time. Make sure you test an area of skin first (from Derek Knottenbelt)
  • Soak hay thoroughly to reduce the possibility of hay allergies
  • Friars balsam may help to alleviate any additional breathing problems
  • Some owners have reported the use of allergy tests (to see what the horse might be allergic to in its diet or environment) and then allergy neutralisation (systematic desensitisation to these allergens by the injection of neutralising solutions. This is usually done through a veterinary clinic.  However, the results from allergy tests are not always informative and unaffected horses can give positive results to many allergens too. The REACT clinic (now unavailable?) claimed that out of 20 headshakers, 60% showed a reduction in symptoms, but the technique seems to be more useful for clearly allergic problems such as sweet-itch. See ( Mansfield 1998) in Literature.

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If you're concerned about any behavioural components to their behaviour:

  • See FAQ
  • If you feel the only reason they shake is frustration, stress or in annoyance, then consider the situations in which they shake and see if you and another experienced horse rider may be able to find solutions to these situations. 
  • Do not force them into behaving by using overly strong discipline, draw reins or a harsher bit.  They are headshaking for a reason and not just to make life difficult for you!   Consider the use of the bitless bridle - many owners that tried it said that they felt better knowing that at least they weren't jabbing their horse in the mouth and adding to the problem
  • Try to avoid unnecessary, stressful situations and events.  However, if its boredom, try to make their life or riding lessons more interesting
  • Consider re-schooling them, using non-physical, non-confrontational techniques. Look on the web for animal communicators and trainers near you, or ask your vet or riding school to recommend someone

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Ways to help your horse (and others) in the meantime

  • Educate yourself about headshaking by talking to your vet, reading the literature and visiting the other websites.
  • Remember that it is not a behavioural problem or vice.  Do not punish yourself or your horse for this frustrating problem.
  • Educate others that your horse is not 'playing up', getting the better of you or needs more training.  If their knowledge of headshaking seems limited then pass the literature on to them!  Write a letter to your local horse magazine telling them of your experiences.  The more people that understand the problem, the fewer horses will be considered useless, mistreated or sold on to unsuspecting new owners.
  • Check what devices (e.g. nose and face nets) your horse can wear at each of the competitions you attend.  If their rules do not make provision for the wearing of such devices or bitless bridles then lobby to get them changed!
  • Ask if your local tack store might sell your most useful headshaking device to make it more accessible to others

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© Katy Taylor, De Montfort University, Leicester, UK
 

Department of Biological Sciences

University of Lincoln

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