Head shaking in horses

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Ranked #2,118 in Animals, #47,903 overall

Introduction

Head shaking (head-shaking or headshaking) is a distressing condition, that generally renders affected horses unrideable. Horses that head shake are suffering quite severe distress; it is not 'bad behaviour'. There was a time, hopefully now outdated but quite recent, when such horses were brutalised by having the nerves in their faces cut (neurectomy). I had the misfortune to see such horses with their denerved muzzles caked with food and I even saw one hung up on a barbed wire fence by his denerved muzzle, causing horrendous injury. When you consider what a sensitive instrument the horse's muzzle is and how it is integral to his normal behaviour, it is amazing to think that this sort of barbarism was ever contemplated. Head shaking is not a 'behavioural' problem and something has to be tried, to alleviate the condition. Happily, homeopathy, acupuncture and aromatherapy, properly integrated, carry an approximately 75 - 80% success rate.

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Natural medicine treatment 

Head shaking horses (head shakers, headshakers or head-shakers) can be treated with combined and properly-integrated homeopathy, acupuncture, massage and aromatherapy, with a reasonable chance of success or very good control. 75 - 80% of affected horses can return to being rideable. Of course, because such therapies are holistic in nature, chiropractic manipulation, diet and lifestyle must also be addressed, for each patient.

The accompanying images show a horse in deep relaxation, during acupuncture treatment.

The reason that this success rate is not higher is, in my belief, because there is such a variety of ways in which different patients manifest their problems. Different horses appear to react to different triggers, e.g. different pollens, rape fields, flies, snow flakes, rain drops, direct sunlight, dust and ammonia (shavings are not good bedding material, for this reason). Almost all appear to be triggered or worsened with exercise or work. Some are found to be 'high' suffers and some 'low', depending upon findings at examination. This tends to refer to whether the frontal sinuses or maxillary sinuses are the main site of the problem.

Some horses seem to respond favourably to being ridden with a muzzle, but that is not acceptable for dressage competition.

Each patient that is seen is given facial realignment, massage, acupuncture if there are indications for this (i.e. 'active' points), homeopathic medication, aromatherapy and sinus drainage. In the case of the latter, some patients drain huge quantities of watery mucus, in response. Teeth, saddling, neck and back assessment are also vital components of examination and treatment.

If you have a head shaker, it is neither wise nor humane to 'ride him through it'. That approach will tend to reinforce the reaction and deepen the memorised psychological component, which inevitably accompanies such a distressing problem.

We have found it to be very important to remove all manufactured feeds and supplements from the diet, as the horse owner has no control over such products. Unsuitable ingredients are included in most proprietary horse feeds and supplements, resulting in the horse having reduced healing and re-balancing capability.

The author is independent of commercial interest or sponsorship and cannot endorse any products or advertising material attached to this lens.

For more information on holistic therapies, visit: http://www.alternativevet.org

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