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Symptoms

• Headshaking - how does it look like?
It is 'normal', that horses, when bothered by insects, hit up and down with their heads, or when they are frustrated or excited. But a horse is a Headshaker, if it hits with it's head during work, free running, without that one can make out a reason.
The extent of symptoms varies from horse to horse. Some hit as bad, that the handler is in danger. Some horse owners are able to live with these horse, but most of them are not. They cannot ride or groundwork the horse; it is frustrating to even observe the horse, knowing it is in pain. For any kind of treatment it is advisable to observe and make notes of the behavior and reactions.

• Typical symptoms of Headshaking Syndrome

more or less strong up- and down hitting, uncontrolled, unintended, explosive, horizontal or circle type of head tossing;

quick and short nicking as if received a electrical shock by a fence;

"folding" of upper lip;

head tossing, as if something got into the nostrils;

snorting extensively;

head tossing during bridling;

over-sensitive nostrils by touch alone;

wiping nose along own legs, objects and ground, Objekten;

pinching of lips;

wiping of inner upper lip along objects, sharp edges of stones, etc;

playing with the tongue as if something got caught between teeth;

clear until whitish and flaky nasal discharge;

not willing to go forward, either under the rider or on the rope;

quickly agitated and tensed;

easy to spook to panicky;

quickly exhausted;

unusually often laying down or resting with head "hanging";

loosing weight quickly or gaining quickly by same amount of feed;

chronically wiping of head;

• Additional Signs

protective of head, i.e.: hiding the head under another horses tail, putting head under water, hiding head in scrubs or press it against walls;

general hyper-sensitivity of head and poll;

coughing;

stumbling or even a "funny" way of carrying the head.

infected and/or watery eyes;

cramping of nostrils;

swelling and loss of hair in the head area;

heavy breathing;

All the symptoms above can lead to lethargy or to a hyper-nervous and dangerous horse.
The concentration and will to work can suffer greatly. Please take into consideration that these change of behavior, either growing slowly or abruptly, is a result of the neuralgia and the horse should not be punished for it, no matter what!

In single cases these symptoms may be a sign of another illness, caused by HS and the weakened immune system, i.e. respiratory illnesses.

• What does the horse feel?

Like human feels constant itching and vision problems increasing to pain, the horses suffers the same way during a TN attack or in a chronicle way.
Because HS symptoms could show in combination with other diseases, it is very important to consult an experienced veterinarian. The possible causes are going to be explained in the next chapter. It is extremely important to examine not only the area, which might be the reason, but also all other organs. Often, when a true cause was detected, the symptoms disappear. In over 80% of HS horses a direct cause will not be found.

• How to differentiate HS from behavioral problems including head tossing?

Like a veterinarian the owner can begin the examine by excluding some causes.

1. Does the horse shake under the rider only? Do saddle and bridle fit correctly? Or maybe it pinches in the poll and withers area. Call a saddle maker to test it.

2. Does your horse suffer under girthing syndrome? There could be hiding a secondary problem?

3. At first it doesn't shake during work, but the soon it gets warm, it will start? A reason the have examined the spinal cord and nuchual ligament.

4. Does your horse shake with bridle and saddle, already w/o a rider? Or maybe on the lunge line only? Does it start head tossing the soon it expects work? Tension could be the trigger of HS.

5. Does your horse shake, if you ride it with halter only? Bitless? If so have the teeth, mouth, jaw and the guttural pouches examined.

6. Try to ride it without a flash, but with bit, does it still shake? If not call the vet and let him administer anti-histamines. If shaking stops, it might suffer from allergies.

7. Does it shake during turnout? Some horses shake on the pasture ONLY. Test it by working it on the lunge line with a halter or running free in a riding arena w/o bridle and saddle.

8. Does it shake under a strange rider, after he rode it several times. No, then please talk with a good trainer, it might be a seat or hand issue.

9. Does it shake with nose net or a piece of nylons pulled over his mouth and nostrils? If so, it most likely suffers from Headshaking.

10. Does your horse suffer under HS during a certain season only and when you ride a certain trail? If so, note all the plants, flowering and not flowering along the trail. HS can be triggered or connected with allergies.

11. Does your horse toss it's head to one side only? An infection, foreign object or insects like mites could be the problem.

12. Does your horse shake by beginning of the warmer season? The increasing melatonin level could be the trigger.

13. Does your horse react summer like winter to sunlight? Does it blink and has tearing, reddish eyes? Try a UV-Mask. If HS stops, your horse might be suffering from the photic type of HS. Let it go outside after sunset. If HS stops at this time, the case is pretty much solved, the ophthalmic branch of the Trigeminal Nerve is injured. More examinations are needed, specially in Europe, Borna virus is injuring the retina.

July 2004

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