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Veteran
Posts: 108
Location: Too Far North | Does anyone else have a horse that shakes its head during a run - turning barrels? This is her first big year of competition and at the begining of the season she was great. As we've gone through the season, it's getting brutal. She's jumping and lunging forward in her turns, and doesn't even look like she knows a pattern. Her vet suggested that she might be choking herself with her tongue because she doesn't like the feel of a bit. I've made a couple runs in a sidepull, and she's still shaking her head. Just not near as bad. She has been worked on by a 'Physio", I've had a lameness done on her and her teeth have been done. Does anyone have ideas, or experienced this? Please and thank you. I am currently using Animal Liniment, In the Zone, and she's much better at the trailer, but still shaking her head. 
Edited by Poteet 2018-08-20 3:52 PM
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 575
 
| I would have her ears checked, and chiro'd. |
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Veteran
Posts: 108
Location: Too Far North | Ears is a new suggestion. Thank you! I will also see about a chiropractor. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
 
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Have her TMJ checked, this will cause a horse to do some head shaking, its a painful condition. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1514
Location: Illinois | Mine is chiro every time. Mine has what we think is an old injury from being a stud and his front end will get stuck. I believe its the C7, deep down in his chest at the base of the neck gets tight, we're not sure exactly what it does as it is too deep to really palpate. Went through 3 chiros who are also vets, who all diagnosed it as fusing. They felt like it had fused to something, but we never looked into it further as they all said there was nothing to be done. Limited range of motion in the front because his legs couldn't extend from the shoulder.
Anyway, met a musculoskeletal specialist last year at a friends barn and he spent almost 2 hours on him, got his hand behind the scapula, which was not appreciated by my horse and did some type of maneuver and there was a large pop that you could visibly see. Anyway, horse reacted like that was the greatest moment of his life and we had full range of motion and could out long trot any horse around. The other chiros just didn't have the strength to make it happen, they tried but no luck. Anyway, muscle memory pulls it back regularly if I don't keep him stretched everyday. He was 18 when we got him figured out and I have had him for 12 years now, so it had been that was for at least 11 years. But the headshake in the turn is how I know when to call him back out to work on him |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12838
| Could be anything. Mine just wanted his tie down lowered some. |
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Veteran
Posts: 108
Location: Too Far North | WOW! Interesting you say this. She wasn't bad until we ran in a beach-sand-like arena. DEEP!! And she's not a big horse. She hasn't been the same since.
Thank you. Happy to hear you found out what your horse needed. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 678
Location: Canada | Do you have a video of your run. I often see horses shaking their heads and lunging during the turn because the rider is left behind, or doesn't get their hand forward fast enough, and is still pulling when the horse is trying to leave the barrel.
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Member
Posts: 31
| Two things come to my mind. Have you changed your head stall recently? If the Browband is too tight by my geldings ears, he shakes his head like crazy. The other thing is teeth, if they're uncomfortable in their mouth, they try different methods to get our attention. Just what I've had experience with. |
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Veteran
Posts: 108
Location: Too Far North | I will post a couple tomorrow. Wish I had the worst 1 on video. |
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 I Am Not Worthy
Posts: 3151
Location: Wishing on a sunny island.... | A friend of mine has treated hers for EPM and the head shaking stopped somewhat. |
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Head Shaking in a Run