I hate reins with metal clips. Can you try a traditional rein set up, with leather or something that doesn’t “clink” on the bit rings?
I even lunge with my side reins backwards to avoid the “clinking”.
Speaking of side reins, can you give that a try? I cannot stress enough that they need to be super loose for the time being, until she settles. I’d only want them to come into effect when she gets her head up super high. Or maybe a loosely fitted chambon?
Since you are looking for non-physical, I’ll suggest she isn’t yet accepting the bit. I had a mare that would toss her head. We ruled out “true headshaking” by what you and others listed, did chiro, etc. We found a bit that was good for her palate, and in time the toss/shake stopped as she grew stronger and less green. I can’t remember how long- maybe after a month with a pro it decreased to almost nill. She still reverts to this when she has time off.
Updating that she tested positive for both Lyme and EPM. Not sure if it’s related to the head tossing/ shaking but I guess we’ll find out after a few weeks of treatment.
Thanks for the update!
Hope she finds some relief with treatment.
Happy update - after a few weeks treatment she is doing much better overall. I’ve ridden her twice this week (first since starting treatment) and the head tossing was essentially nonexistent. She’s still a bit mouthy or busy mouthed but that was a bit better with a Myler and I think will improve with more work and consistency.
On the topic of nose nets… can anyone explain the difference between a $10 nose net and a $76 dollar one?
Hmm I have a maybe head tosser, I’d be curious too.
I can’t vouch for the exact pricing, but the more expensive one (Equilibrium) has seams so that the net actually cups the muzzle. The way it attaches to the noseband lets you adjust the length. For my headshaker, he needed this more precise coverage.
Muzzle nets work because the contact from the net to the muzzle interferes with whatever it is that triggers the trigeminal nerve to start firing. If the net doesn’t make contact with the muzzle, it’s likely you won’t get the maximum benefit from it.
Unfortunately nose nets don’t help all horses suffering with HS. They tend to help those HS that are triggered by exercise though.
True, muzzle nets don’t help all headshakers. I felt very fortunate that my horse was one of the ones it did help – on his headshaking days (I spent a year tracking every single day for a HS-ing study) the headshaking was pretty much eliminated by the use of the muzzle net. My post was in reference to why the Equilibrium one is more expensive than the others and why fit matters.
Beats me! Both look exactly the same to me.
I have the Quiet Ride one for the “head shaking season” here in the Northeast (late Spring to late Summer). I can’t ride my mare without it.
It has the same kind of velcro attachments to the noseband, and seams that “cup” the nostrils as well. The $76 one does not seem to be made of a different, more resistant material…
I have 3 of those nose nets, because they do get filthy at times, and one has a hole when I let my mare rub her nose against a xc jump (my bad). But at that price, it’s ok to replace them every 3 or 4 seasons or so.
Yes it’s such a horrible disorder.
Thankful that the Equimax protocol worked on ours.
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