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Head Shaking in Horses

  by Robert N. Oglesby DVM

Introduction

Introduction » Training, Tack, or Medical? » Light Associated or Photic Headshaking » Other Causes of Headshaking » Other Resources » More Info 

Horse owners often observe their horses shaking and/or tossing their heads and this happens for a number of different reasons.
  • Communication with other horses usually suggesting aggression
  • Sign of resistance under saddle
  • Deal with irritations about the head. These would include:
    • Insects
    • Painful Tooth Problems
    • Temporohyoid Bone and Middle Ear Disease
    • Nasal and Sinus Disease
    • Guttural Pouch Disease
    • Reaction to Bright Light or Photic Headshaking
In the first case where horses are communicating with each other this is easily recognized often occurring in the field or across stalls and with the horses attention directed at anouther horse.

Tack and training resistance may be a bit harder to seperate from some of the medical conditions as the medical conditions will often worsen or at least be most noticable when the horse is being ridden thereby mimicking. To cause further confusion some of the medical conditions listed above give no obvious outward clinical signs. Successful treatment depends on a correct diagnosis. This article discusses the diagnosis and treatment of head shaking.
      ~Word Count: 1838 words (The average magazine page contains about 600 words);
      ~Last Updated: September 08, 2009;

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Discussions on Head Shaking including Photic and Medical Causes
  Titles Subtopics Posts Updated
iconWhat's causing my horse to itch his nose madly?1 9 Sep 18, 09
iconPOSSIBLE HEAD SHAKER1 14 May 12, 09
iconResearch Summary: A Unusual Case of Head Shaking1 1 Nov 21, 08
iconDoesn't quite seem like head shaking ... 1 2 Mar 25, 08
iconSudden head flinching1 6 Sep 6, 07
iconSerious head-shaking and tossing1 7 May 23, 03
iconCyproheptadine for head shakers1 7 Mar 17, 03
iconHerpes and lysine linked to head shaking?1 5 Apr 27, 02
iconHead bobbing in stall, ties and riding1 3 Oct 18, 01
iconOne solution for head shakers1 3 Nov 8, 00
iconSerious Head Flicking - leading to rearing1 4 Mar 29, 00
iconMare shakes her head when upset1 11 May 17, 08
iconHead tossing/nodding1 2 Oct 18, 02
iconHead Shaking Syndrome1 2 Feb 12, 03
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