Today, for the first time, we are pleased to share with you a case report of a horse suffering from headshaking syndrome. This is the first case of a horse with this condition where Hempqualizer supplementation was introduced... but let’s start from the beginning.
What is headshaking, anyway?
Headshaking in horses is a complex and often puzzling issue, both for equine health specialists and horse lovers alike. The behavior is characterized by sudden, sharp head movements — usually a quick downward jerk followed by a vigorous upward flick of the nose. Although some horses exhibit rotational or horizontal movements, these are less common.
The causes of headshaking are not always clear. In many cases, no structural abnormalities are found, and it is believed to result from hypersensitivity of the trigeminal nerve.
Symptoms often intensify during physical activity, although some horses also exhibit them at rest. Interestingly, about two-thirds of headshaking cases are seasonal, occurring mainly in spring and summer, suggesting that environmental triggers such as bright sunlight, wind, pollen, or even rain may provoke these episodes.
Judy is a 15-year-old Tinker mare who has been with us for nine years. When we bought her, she was an underweight, wild little thing — who turned out to be pregnant. After a year with us and a happy foaling and motherhood, she was broken in. She went on trail rides and even competed in dressage events.
Unfortunately, after some time, she began tossing her head — not only during riding but also while out on pasture. After months of consultations with various vets, trying masks, nasal sprays, and other solutions, we eventually threw in the towel and accepted it. Sometimes the tossing is mild, sometimes she goes weeks without it, but when it intensifies, we have to stop activities like jump training. It doesn’t matter whether it’s summer or winter, sunny or cloudy — Judy tosses her head, and it’s clearly very distressing for her.
Luckily, completely by accident, I got the idea to give her Hempqualizer+, which I had bought for my other horse with RAO. I gave it to Judy and, surprisingly, the effect was immediate! But I didn’t celebrate too soon — I wanted to be sure Hempqualizer would work in every condition, like in the rain or on cloudy days with high UV radiation. And it did — it works! Especially during extreme head tossing, it significantly reduces the episodes, which now occur only occasionally.
For us, the best way to administer it is once a day, 2–3 hours before riding, in a dose of about 1–2 ml.
As far as I’m concerned, this is by far the best supplement we can use safely.
Highly recommended!