Thankfully, I don’t have a headshaker. :lol: But it just seems so strange to totally ignore the potential for a cheap, easy answer. But…shrug.
I don’t have a headshaker either so why would I need to take action to stop head shaking?
Check your horse for ulcers, my horse used to shake her head and under observation I found she has ulcers from being on the race track at young age…
Does she wear a fly mask in pasture? Have you tried one of the fly masks made for riding?
1 Like
She does wear a mask in the pasture.She doesn’t shake her head in the pasture.It’s when I ride her or lunge her with a halter.I have a mask that goes all the way down her nose that I have tryed when riding but she still does it.
I have not checked her for ulcers.I’m not sure she would have that as she has no stress really.She is kept on pasture 24/7 year round with 2 other horses with tons of pasture and hay in winter(round bale)2nd crop.She has never had grain as she is a easy keeper.I have recently started her on a Ration Balance.
Thank you all for your responses!I live in Wisconsin,USA.My horse lives at our house with 2 others.They are kept out 24/7 with a barn and fans to get out of the heat if needed.I would like more info on feeding magnesium.The ration balancer (Enrich Plus by Purina)does not show magnesium on the guaranteed analysis.Should I add Magnesium to that or find a different Balancer.How much should she be getting.I’m nervous about adding things.I’m new at this feeding grains and such.Never had problems in all the years we’ve had horses here(40 plus)!We just let our horses be horses!Our pastures are mowed all the time for weed prevention,but we have never tested the soil inside the pasture fence.We have a farmer that rents our fields for corn and soybeans.So the fields are tested all the time on the other side of the fence.I know different areas can test differently also.I will add that I can see my horses at all times of the day from the house and keep a close eye on all 3 to make sure everyone is normal.My 28 year old has cushings and Arthritis so I watch her carefully!She is the mother of my Head Shaker mare.The head shaker has never had any foot problems or anything from being on pasture.She wears the grazing muzzle because she has all the signs of IR.crest neck,fat around tail head.Her bag swells when she gets fat also.One quarter is harder right now actually.I don’t ride in winter here in Wisconsin.So summer is when I manage to get her weight down.Sorry for the long post but I wanted to give a full picture of the situation.
Also she can carry her head wherever she wants when she is being lounged.She has no reactions to vaccines.Another thought I have is if the grazing muzzle would be the cause of the headshaking from wearing it so much.It’s on all night and off in the mornings until a 10 or 11 am.so she can graze on our shorter pasture.I have read that the headshaking can have something to do with the nerves in their face.Maybe the grazing muzzle is irritating it.She has no sores from the mask.
1 Like
