Causes


Indy

Indy was born 1993, 16.2 hh TB x Gelders. I bought her when she was four years old and green broke; directly from the breeder. She was very spoiled and bossy. She had an accident when she was a filly. Got in the barbwire. Her nose open to the bone ( I think that might be the cause for the HS, with all the nerves op there) and her chest. One can still see the scars.


 The breeder had lent her to friends to ride outside for once and they had fitted with the saddle wrong and she had a wound. Nothing serious. I bought her in June and as soon as I started riding her she began hs. Being my first own horse I listened to people that said it was a behavior problem. And after a couple of months it seemed they were right cause the hs disappeared in October. Had a good winter and in the spring the hs returned. Checked the saddle and the bridle. But had the feeling she was seriously in pain and I did not punish her. In the winter it disappeared and in spring it came back. I figured out that she had showed hs symptoms when being longed, too; so that ruled out my way of riding and the tack. Had her teeth checked. Got her a new bit. Nothing helped.

Finally someone mentioned headshaking. I got on the internet and found the 'Guardian Mask'. Spoke with Sid, the owner of website. Ordered the mask and it did not work. Heard about Kathy Taylor and the NoseNet. We tried first with the pantyhose. You probably have seen these video clips and the difference shown, the net made to Indy . I send these to Kathy and to Sid. Then I ordered the Equilibrium NoseNet and it worked like magic. For two years. Now this year she started shaking with her NoseNet. E-mailed Equilibrium and asked if they have heard that before and if they would have any answers or other options. Never bothered answering. Bought the mask going with the NoseNet. She likes it but it doesn't do much for her hs.
Indy starts hs after she warms up a bit. The first 5 or 10 minutes in walk there is nothing wrong. Then I start to trot and after a few seconds she starts snoring or sneezing and that is the first signal for the hs to begin.
Hot days she hates, with rain and dark cloudy days it's better. Also a very sunny day in winter she occasionally flips her head. Outdoor more then indoor, but indoor too.
She is very eager to work and you need a calm rider for her. She is dominant, but very gentle and honest as gold. Never bites, never kicks. But the moment you have your attention elsewhere she gets you. She is very intelligent and that is not always easy. When you see her jump with my daughter, you know that horse has heart, she jumps everything, where every other horse would not jump. On the eventing trials you don't have to say go.
She needs a firm, friendly and consequent hand and I am working on that.
Got her on the adaptogens from Annabelle. But now I am out of herbs. They were send to me on June 30th and I have not gotten them. She is hardly ever ridden now and because she does not hs in the pasture, it is hard to tell where we are now. I want to try Colocynthis Homaccord on her, but I have to be back in shape myself, currently I have a broken ankle, and be able to take care of her. We are moving the horses to a new pasture in the coming weeks, better to let the stress pass anyway.
 

Leaves to mention I had a vet out four weeks ago and told him about her hs. He checked her lower jaw and on the inside of her left jaw she had a pain reaction, when a little pressure was applied. Same amount of pressure on the right side and she would not react. He said, he plans on coming out, when he has found the time to make x-rays - 4 weeks ago! 

Silvia, Holland, August 2004

Update: Winter 2004/05: Indy died due to complications after a colic surgery. She had fought very hard to survive this ordeal.