The Facts Of Headshaking

Learn what we really know about this complex, confusing, and often frustrating condition.

- Barb Crabbe

WILMA IS A SWEET, sensitive, and generally well-behaved 14-year-old Quarter Horse mare. So when she started tossing her head, her owner turned to the Internet for advice. She was especially excited when she found a Web site offering a quick-fix. When that didn’t work, she contacted an animal communicator. But poor Wilma just kept right on shaking her head.

Wilma’s owner finally called the vet. “Wilma flips her head up and down, snorts, and sometimes acts like an insect is flying up her nose,” she explained. “On occasion, she even strikes at her nose with her front leg.” With the help of her vet, Wilma’s owner found an explanation for her horse’s symptoms: they’re the classic signs of idiopathic headshaking syndrome.

In spite of years of research, idiopathic headshaking syndrome remains one of the most mysterious conditions that can impact your horse. As with any medical problem that’s confusing to diagnose and difficult to treat, a suspicion that your horse has headshaking syndrome is likely to generate all kinds of untested theories, questionable suggestions, and questionable treatment recommendations. Here I’ll answer five common questions about this condition, discuss treatment options, and describe a promising new treatment for the condition.

What does it look like?