Headshaking- and a famous horse that does it

Cella, a 2002 grey BWP mare is seen with this black net on her nose.  It is to calm her headshaking problem.

The horse is ridden by Ben Maher and has won some serious events.  Currently the team sits at the top of the Longines leaderboard.

@Sportfot

Headshaking is a neurological issue caused by sensations to the face like wind, pollen, insects, allergies, rain, or snow drops.  Some horses even react to sunlight exposure, in this case sun actually irritates a nerve though the eye and triggers symptoms.  The nerve that plays the biggest part of this condition is the trigeminal nerve. which may be over-reactive.  The overly sensitive nerve could be caused by hereditary or damage to the actual nerve itself.  It is just like Trigeminal Neurological seen in people.

Some horses have a minor twitch, some others are put down because they are in so much discomfort.  Symptoms may include a twitch, violent head-shaking, avoiding the bit, making weird faces with their tongues, rearing, hiding their head in weather conditions like wind, sun, rain, or snow, and itchy their heads on the leg (very often and in a "emergency" way, my horse would stop mid-canter to itch his).  Each horse is very different, with different triggers.

Throughout the horses life it may get worse or better or even go through periods where it changes for a short time.  Typically it gets worse.  Treatment includes masks, hackamore or other tack changes (consider changing the material of the bit for example or adding a flash or taking one away), environment or living changes, avoiding riding or keeping the horse out in certain conditions, prescription medications, and supplements.  Melatonin and magnesium seem to be the big ones. If/when, you try to treat this only try one change at a time so you can tell if it's making a difference. More then likely it will be a combination of multiple treatments.

Treatment For My Horse Paddy 

• Riding in a hackamore (see the type of hackamore I use)
• Allow to itch as needed
• 24/7 shed so he can hide his face from stimulants
• Relax environment, no more barns with high level of people traffic, clinics, or lessons
• I do Melatonin in the winter (use people over the counter).
• Mask on as much as possible
• Mask when riding on certain days
• Pasture 24/7 has drastically decrease his problems, also living in a small calm herd where he isn't picked on has helped, he is very passive so being with non-passive horses stressed him out and increased his headshaking.
• Feeding quality grain, senior feed, low sugar.  Sugar also triggers his narclopesy.
• Rice bran or something high in Omega-3s

Eventually Paddy's headshaking became too violent that I had to stop showing and riding him in a training type way.  With the above changes he goes nicer now at the age of 19 then he ever did, before he just seemed "psycho" but he really is a gentleman...even my Mom rides him!

It was very hard to receive the diagnosis so do your research and find a vet who understands.  Dr. Dale Bowers in Colorado performed by diagnosis.

Here is a great article of headshaking by a DVM.