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Post by tinastephenson on Jul 1, 2006 20:46:01 GMT -1
 I foolishly thought I had it sussed this year... Last year was the first year Curly suffered from headshaking, many vet visits later, endless remedies then homeopathic visits it stopped! All I was riding in was the full faced mask. Problem was I did not know if it was the mask that helped or was the pollen or whatever was causing the problem simply gone? Well this spring started off badly so i went and bought the Aerborn nose net, so we have been riding with a net bucket on plus the full face mask, we look like Daft Ada LOL..... For some reason this week it is though nothing has changed! we go along the road (will not go onto mountain now, last year I had a nightmare after being stuck on there and unable to get him off!) and all of a sudden its as though his brain switches off, he twiches terribly to the point of his front legs leaving the floor, even though is a couple of inches, running backwards and doing 360 degree turns..... Tonight was particuarly bad and I have said I cannot ride him again until I find something that will help... Its unfair on Curly who is so destressed by it all, dangerous as we are in danger of running backwards into moving vehicles or me falling off! Curly is the most loving and brave of ponies, once he trusts he will do anything for you and to see him so distressed, foaming and sweating, and being so unhappy is making riding horrible. Does anybody have any other ideas? we previously lived by the sea and i am going to box him up and take him to the coast again to see if it is locality or pure coincidence? Vet has said he has no other suggestions....
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Post by harleydales on Jul 1, 2006 21:00:28 GMT -1
Apollo gets very jumpy too at pollen time, and the grass is full of pollen just now. without his net he goes along with his head in the air, twisted to the side and gets very upset. Lots of head throwing and stretching and flinging, it's really unpleasant.
I have Equilibrium nose nets for him, they fit very snuggly over the nostrils and make a huge difference.
Is he any better if you ride after the rain? there will be less pollen flying about then.
Sorrry I can't offer anything very useful, but I know what you are up against, and it's not funny. Hope you find a solution.
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Post by harveydales on Jul 2, 2006 7:25:47 GMT -1
Sorry to hear about poor Curly. I really don't think there is that much more you can do that you're not trying already. Having owned 3 headshakers I know what it is like and how distressing for both horse and owner. Did you read the article on it in last weeks H&H? Interesting but not very encouraging.
It might be worth seeing how Curly is back near the sea. There shouldn't be many irritants around so he may be fine again. On the other hand, if his nasal passages are so enflamed at the moment any sort of stimulus such as a sea breeze might set him off. Perhaps worth trying though. During "bad head shaking weather" I never rode, just didn't seem fair on the horse or sensible from the saftey point of view.
I used to ride in a full head mask like you also, which helped a bit. The H&H article says pain killers don't help but I found, when Quest was really bad, Bute did give him relief - ofcourse it meant I wouldn't be riding him anyway.
Interestingly, the first couple of years Quest was retired he continued to show headshaking symptoms in the field but doesn't do so that much now. I can't explain why this should be so. Maybe stress hormones make it worse as they do in humans and certain anti-depressants alleviate similar nerve problems in humans. I wonder if this approach has been looked at in horses - again it wouldn't help with the riding side.
sorry, nothing helpful to say but I do understand what you are going through.
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Post by yorkshirelass on Jul 2, 2006 9:40:36 GMT -1
Is he still on the homeopathic stuff? And if so does he have it all year round, or when do you start it? Tree pollen is worst at the beginning of the season, grass pollen about now, although by the sounds of it your pony is sensitive to both?
My pony has been on her homeopathic stuff for 3 seasons now...the first year we started late so it didn't have much time to have an effect, last year we started giving her it when she started headshaking, and she was better, although not perfect, for most of the summer and stopped a bit earier that usual, this year we started giving her it before she started headshaking, and she has now completely stopped, and it is usually her worst time of year as grass pollen is very high. She still wears a nosenet and gets a bit shakey from time to time but showing an amazing difference. I am going to ask my homeopathic vet if she can have low doses of it through winter or start even earlier next year, so hopefully she might not do so much in the beginning of the season as she's in a new home where there are loads of trees so I can imagine she'll be worse than normal.
Echo harleydales, the equilibrium stuff is very good.
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Post by jonib on Jul 2, 2006 13:21:52 GMT -1
Hi...If it is apollen reaction,have you considered Global Herbs Zephyr. I am well aware not everything works for every horse,but my little shetland is breathing almost normally since he has been on it,and no longer has his inhaler(he previously sounded like a 40 a day smoker bless him).The same company do a product called Shakerguard.for head shakers,which I havent tried.
I am going to try my welsh mare,Lucy,on the Zephyr as we are going to start working her and I have notcied she has been head shaking a bit when walked in hand,so I will update you on if we have any success if you like. When she was last in work 3 years ago it got so bad I gave up on her totally,as it was impossible to work with the headshaking,sweetitch,poss lameness and general hypersensitivity to everything,including becoming scared of strange horses met on rides!
Also...probably no bearing at all on it,but for the last 2 years I have been able to keep Lucy out 24/7 with no fly sheets etc....This year she has had to have the fly sheet on for the last 2 weeks....So perhaps the weather has caused the allergens to be worse this year?
Good luck..I remember how fed up you were last year re this......x
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Post by chickflick1066 on Jul 2, 2006 16:15:37 GMT -1
Apparantly Magnesium helps to alleivate headshaking symptoms?
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Post by tinastephenson on Jul 21, 2006 7:05:43 GMT -1
I think I will have to admit defeat! Curly has been on Zephyr from global herbs for a while ago plus homeopathic drops, he wears full face mask and nose net. Last night I thought ok I will try going around the short block..... big mistake!
Full blown headshaking once we had gone 1/2 mile! running backwards with head flicking violently.
I cannot keep taking the disappointment, I just end up in tears everytime, pathetic I know! I love this pony so much and it just seems disappointing that I moved to Wales for the fantastic riding, worked very hard all through the hard winter then when we finally get to the good bit, we have all this!
I will turn him away into his field where he is happy and spend all my time grooming him.
OH said maybe to look for another to loan for hacking etc. If anybody has a horse that can carry a heavyweight woman and be loved to bits please let me know....
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Post by flintfootfilly on Jul 21, 2006 7:18:55 GMT -1
So sorry to hear this. Must be really disappointing for you. Maybe if he has the summer off, you might be able to ride him through the winter months instead if the headshaking is less then.
Sarah
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Post by greydales on Jul 21, 2006 7:25:53 GMT -1
I'm so sorry to hear this Tina, how distressing for you both, especially as Curly has been such a dependable and safe pony  It must be so upsetting to think you moved all that way for the fab riding, only to find you can't It's a good idea to box him to the coast to see if it improves, then I suppose if he doesn't do it there, at least you will know it's his environment that is the cause. I can imagine how you must be feeling. Is he like this in the field, or only when ridden? |
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Post by mabel on Jul 21, 2006 7:26:58 GMT -1
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Post by harveydales on Jul 21, 2006 7:30:31 GMT -1
Oh dear Tina, I really do feel for you. As you know, Quest (now retired) is a headshaker and hasn't been too bad with his head shaking lately but the last few days he has started again with his very itchy nose etc. Although he is not ridden, it is not nice to think he is uncomfortable so I know just how upsetting it is. It is an environmental thing and last week even Harvey, who is not a headshaker, was snorting and chucking his head a bit on a hack so I think it must be very bad at the moment.
I found, with Quest, once I'd made the decision not to attmept to ride him during bad periods I felt a lot happier. Also, if I'd entered a competition and got there to find the environment set off his headshaking I would immediately withdraw rather than upset us both.
I expect you will find, come September, Curly will be fine again and you will be able to enjoy some lovely hacking again.
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Post by DalesLady on Jul 23, 2006 6:37:07 GMT -1
have a look in the ears for midges! D began shaking her head all of a sudden and that is what I found in one of her ears! She's oK now it's been treated.
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Post by tinastephenson on Jul 28, 2006 21:52:30 GMT -1
Now I am even more confused.... today I thought I would take Curly down the coast to see how he got on. Two hours travelling and we arrive at a lovely 3 mile sandy beach we are allowed on. No mask, nosenet in fact nothing, had a brilliant time. Convinced that it must be sea air that makes it all ok ( we lived by the sea until 18 months ago).
came back to brecon and thought I would ride him around block, idea being if he headshacked then it must be the pollen around here?
well not a thing.......
so does that mean he is having a good day or is he cured by the Zephyr or is it because it was late when i rode him tonight...
I am so totally confused by all this, I do not know what to do next!
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Post by harveydales on Jul 29, 2006 4:56:42 GMT -1
Time of day made a big difference to Quest. I would be OK if I rode at 5AM or in the evening - I guess it is something to do with when plants release the pollen plus air temp and wind. There are so many variable is becomes almost impossible to pinpoint what works and what doesn't. But maybe the Zephyr is working.....fingers crossed.
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Post by The Moo on Jul 31, 2006 6:25:27 GMT -1
Maybe the clean sea air has 'washed' out his nose/passages/lungs of any nasties that were in there. A detox for anything that has accumulated in there?  Only guessing. |
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