Headshaking in Horses:
Horses can shake their heads for many reasons, from an occasional “normal” flick to severe repetitive movements that can make a horse difficult or dangerous to work with. When the headshaking is severe, repetitive, or relentless, it is usually due to an underlying disease or nerve problem which can cause intense irritation and discomfort.
Signs of Headshaking can include:
• Vertical (up and down), horizontal (side to side) or rotational head movement
• Nose twitching and lip smacking
• Scrubbing the nose on the floor, against their legs, on the rider’s feet or stable walls
• Excessive snorting/irritation
Common causes include:
• Dental pain, including sharp points, periodontal disease or other dental problems
• Nasal or sinus disease, ear or throat irritation
• Pain involving the poll, neck or temporomandibular region
• Allergies or environmental irritation, including dust, pollen, insects or bright sunlight/eye irritation
• Neuropathic pain, particularly irritation or abnormal sensitivity of the trigeminal nerve. This is often referred to as trigeminal-mediated headshaking. Nerve pain can be hard to diagnose - Diagnosis typically involves treating or ruling out all other potential causes.
Treatments for Headshaking:
• Treatment options vary depending on the individual case and underlying cause.
• Correcting any dental pain is often one of the first steps.
• Allergy treatment trials or control of environmental factors such as bright sunlight can help.
• Fly masks/UV masks as well as nose nets can help reduce some causes of irritation.
• Diagnostic imaging and musculoskeletal examination can help identify possible areas of pain.
• Allergies or environmental irritation, including dust, pollen, insects or bright sunlight
• Neuropathic pain (Most often the trigeminal nerve) can be more challenging to treat. Medications for nerve pain can sometimes help. Therapies such as PENS therapy or electroacupuncture have also been used successfully in some cases.
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• New, persistent, or worsening headshaking should be investigated, particularly if it is associated with exercise, difficulty eating, nasal discharge, facial sensitivity, rubbing the nose, behavioural changes or other signs of pain
• Identifying and addressing the underlying source of pain or irritation is important for managing these horses.