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Frequently Asked Questions
- Will acupuncture work?
- Is it hereditary?
- Does my horse need to see a vet?
- Will my horse get worse?
- Will my horse's headshaking season lengthen?
- Is it likely to turn into a habit?
- Why is the problem more commonly seen in geldings?
- Why is the problem more commonly seen in Thoroughbreds?
- Why is the problem more commonly seen in horses used for dressage?
Will acupuncture work?
Acupuncture has been tried over the years but now the vets that specialise in this have come to a consensus that it is UNLIKELY to help, UNLESS the cause of the headshaking is musculo-skeletal or myofascial in origin (i.e. the horse has muscle or back problems) See an article on this matter by Scott (2001) in Literature.
Is it hereditary?
We don't know. Its too early to make recommendations about this although some vets openly believe it is not. Some even report improvements to the mare during and after pregnancy due to changes in levels of certain hormones. If the vets are right that most headshakers have a nerve problem then this is not very heritable, however without knowing what is the cause of the problem in each individual it is unwise to make generalisations.
I already know my horse is headshaker - do they really need to see a vet?
Assuming your horse is an untreatable headshaker is dangerous for you and the horse. There are many causes of headshaking so it is important to rule these out initially. Even once this has been done do not assume this is all you can do. Whatever the cause, your horse is feeling discomfort at best and deserves their symptoms to be taken seriously. There is still plenty that you can do, both on the veterinary and the management side to improve the quality of their life.
Will my horse get worse?
You are best to ask the opinion of your vet as it depends on their diagnosis and prognosis. Generally speaking, in our survey of 254 UK headshakers (see Literature) we found that 23% had got worse each year, 61% had not changed year to year and 16% had actually improved. However these answers might be dependant on what treatments the owners had tried and their perception of the problem. Also this survey was of horse owners that believed their horse to be a 'headshaker' - not all of them had their vet make a specific diagnosis. Thus the prognosis for those severe headshakers (which are unfortunately often the only ones the vets get to see) may be less hopeful.
My horse is currently shakes only seasonally - will the season get longer each year?
Similarly, in our survey (see Literature) we found that out of 158 horses that were seasonal headshakers initially, 24% had worsened so that their season increased every year, 69% had not changed year on year and 7% had actually decreased. So although there is a chance that your horse may become an all year round sufferer, in our study the majority remained seasonal.
Is it likely to turn into a habit?
Opinions on this are divided. Many vets believe that there might be a behavioural component to the headshaking, i.e. the horse is worse when stressed, excited or nervous (as is often the case with some human conditions). This might be because being under stress lowers the threshold for the headshaking response rather than it being a conscious act. Equally but conversely, you may find the horse stops headshaking momentarily whilst distracted by a set of jumps or a particularly exciting day out. Again this doesn't mean the horse is just behaving badly at all other times. The distraction in situations such as these may be sufficient to override the need to itch and shake. However some vets to believe that over time some horse might learn to anticipate conditions that might trigger a headshaking bout (such as snow or rain or flies) and this can make the symptoms worse. Other vets firmly believe that once the source of pain and irritation has gone the horse will stop headshaking. This is strengthened by those cases of complete cures (either by the use of surgery, drugs, the use of a nose net or avoidance tactics).
Why is the problem more commonly seen in geldings?
Veterinary papers frequently report a bias towards mature, castrated males (geldings) in their sample of headshakers. Typically geldings are twice as commonly reported as mares, and stallions are rarely reported. To date there is no confirmed explanation for why this might be so, although recent suggestions are that it is something to do with a different hormonal balance in castrated males compared to entire males or females. However, it is important to stress that this apparent bias towards males has yet to be confirmed. A recent comparison of the distribution of the sexes in a sample of 200 headshakers and a sample of normal horses from the same yard as each headshaker) failed to find any significant evidence that males were more likely to be headshakers (unpublished PhD material). The apparent bias towards geldings might therefore be a reflection of the population of horses used for general purpose in the UK. It is important to establish if this is the case before we make any conjectures on the link between sex and headshaking.
Why is the problem more commonly seen in Thoroughbreds?
As yet there is no firm evidence that the problem is more common in thoroughbred type horses. Whilst samples of headshakers in veterinary reports do have a large proportion of thoroughbreds and thoroughbred crosses (typically 20-40%) this may be the norm for this kind of general horse population, see above. Just about all other breeds have been represented in headshaking cases so the link between headshaking and breed is not likely to be a very strong one. It may be that thoroughbreds are used or managed differently to other breeds, in addition to the contention that they are more prone to stress. However, it is important to establish is this pattern truly exists before we make any conjectures as to the link between breed and headshaking.
Why is the problem more commonly seen in horses used for dressage?
Again, there is no firm evidence that the problem is more commonly seen in horses used for dressage. To date, the problem has been reported in horses used for all types of equitation: driving, eventing, jumping, cross country, hacking, schooling, etc, and at all levels. No-one has compared the prevalence of the problem between the specific disciplines however, but that is difficult to do because headshaking affects performance and so would not be expected to be equally reported amongst the various disciplines. Headshaking is not often reported in race horses, but then their typical age (2 years) is often less than that reported for the onset of the problem (5 years and older). In addition, a case control study of over 80 headshakers found no evidence of dressage or jumping as a risk factor for headshaking. That said, the problem does seem to be commonly reported in horses that are used for amateur dressage. It has been suggested that this might imply that poll flexion and continual use of the bit is a cause of the headshaking. But, it may also be that this is a popular use for horses in the general population and/or because headshaking impacts more on this discipline than any other. Comments from owners of 200 headshakers supports this contention (unpublished PhD material).
© Katy Taylor, De Montfort University, Leicester, UK