Headshaking on horses

Headshaking in horses - a complex and nerve-wracking suffering!

Spring and summer are a difficult time for most horses affected by headshaking syndrome. There are also horses that show the symptoms all year round, but in most animals the reflexive head beating or twitching and rubbing of the nostrils increase in the warmer seasons.

It would be completely wrong to punish this behavior or dismiss it as a “quirk” because horses really suffer when they are affected by this condition. However, this should definitely be clarified by a veterinarian who is experienced in this regard. Not every horse that hits its head is a headshaker. Also e.g. B. Dental problems, ear mites, unsuitable equipment, or the type of reins can be the cause.

Information from a veterinarian about the disease can be found here: http://www.equivetinfo.de/html/headshaking.htm

If you search the Internet, you will find numerous other sites that deal with the topic of headshaking. As the owner of such a horse, it is important to inform yourself thoroughly, as the disease can have a variety of triggers and is only curable in a few cases.

Affected horse owners exchange their experiences in special groups on social networks. Even though the comments are usually not written by experts, exchanging ideas with other “fellow sufferers” can still be helpful, especially if the illness has recently occurred and you first have to read up on it.

innoHorse GmbH has a whole range of aids for headshaker horses. Unfortunately, these cannot cure the disease, but in many cases they make life much easier for the animal - and therefore also for the owner.

The use of a precisely fitting nose net (NOSE COVER for riding and NOSE SHADE for pasture) in many cases results in an improvement of the symptoms or even their complete disappearance. When riding, some horses respond better to bands that tap against their nostrils when they move (NOSE STRINGS).

Alight protection mask can provide relief for light-induced headshaking caused by sunlight. These basically act like sunglasses and look like a standard fly mask, but are made of special UV protection fabrics with varying degrees of sun protection (innoHorse light protection masks EASY SHADE 59% and SUN BLOCK 77%).