Shaking her head????

[misty'smom]

I've noticed the past few days Misty has been shaking her head???? She will do it a few times then go about eating or running and playing with Josie etc. She kind of puts her head down when doing this. It is not often but often enough for it to catch my attention. I looked in her mouth, looked at her ears feeling for bumps, sores whatever, nothing. She is acting fine eating, drinking, pooping, peeing and being her sassy little self! Any ideas of what this might be? Or anyone ever see this in their horses??

 

[Jenny]

Is she shaking it up and down or side to side? When Breaker hears something in the bushes or sees something strange far away, he will stop, look off in the distance, and then nod his head up and down a few times and then either start to run around or keep eating. I think it's just because he's alert and interested in something.

 

[misty'smom]

No I don't think that is it, she doesn't seem to be looking at anything. It is more a side to side shake, a few times then she stops and goes on. It seems like something is bothering her.........

 

[valshingle]

I would have a vet check her ears. Could be mites, a tick, or infection.

 

[misty'smom]

She is still doing it today so I guess I will call the vet on Monday.

hopefully the snow/ ice storm we are expecting won't be too bad.........

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I hate it when my horses do something strange. Hope it isn't anything. But if you are noticing something strange, it's usually worth looking into.

 

[Mona]

Could even be a tooth...a loose cap or something. I also immediately thought of ear mites.

 

[lil hoofbeats]

I had a waling horse mare that would shake her head like that and it was a tooth issue.

 

[shalakominiatureshowhorses]

I have 2 upcoming 4 year olds (on May 5th, both have the same exact birth date) having the exact same issue! They have been very sensitive when putting the halter on and where the nose band goes, and when running around with the halter on, shake their head sometimes violently from side to side. They both started showing signs on the same exact day (yesterday), the day before they were both fine. Like some people, I though it was ear mites, but I would think my 9 year old would have them too (he is fine with a halter on and isn't shaking his head at all with it on), but I'm not certain on that theory. I'm taking a guess and saying its a tooth issue. Because Devil and Jazz have the EXACT same birthday, Devil being older by just 5-10 min, I would say their teeth are coming in at the same time. Thought I would put my input in

 

[MyMiniGal]

My mare flips her head, to the side, when she is irritated, or just is having a day, with an attitude. She's done that from the time I've gotten her. Doesn't matter how much exercise she gets, she still does it. I questioned it to some local mini people and was told..."It was a mare thing" Halo had a check up and it showed nothing, she doesn't do it as often as she use to, though.

 

[misty'smom]

Well had our vet come by last week.......he checked Misty from head to hoof and all is well with her!!! Both her and Josie got their vaccinations and check up and both are in good health!!!!!

As for Misty shaking her head he said.......it just may be something she does, like an "attitude thing"!!!! And yes lately she is having an "Attitude"!!!! She is a yearling but I think going through the terrible twos, she has been testing the waters so to speak but she isn't getting away with much so she is learning to be a nice girl!!!!! Love them both!!

 

[MyMiniGal]

Yep, sounds like my Halo. I can always tell if she is going to have more attitude, by how much her head flips. LOL

 

[FurstPlaceMiniatures]

It's a mare thing, it really is. My old paint mare has religiously done the "flippy head thing" whenever shes frustrated, wants to come in, wants the colt to get out of her way, pretty much whenever the witchy mare-ness comes out for 16 years now. I guess its a learned thing from her mother. Her dam was a fairly well known broodmare in the area, and she has a lot of full and half siblings that were all show horses too. Whenever we'd run into one, the first thing the owners ALWAYS asked was "does she do the gosh darned stupid head flip too?" LOL

My mini stud spends the night before shows at my parent's house where the mare is kept. He's seen her do it, and now he does it too.....

 

[Diva's Girl]

Every mare I have ever met has done 'the head flip'. It can be really annoying, especially when your lunging them and they jerk on your arms. My Mare has learned not to jerk since I have a lot of people with disabilities around her but she has learned how to do it without jerking, lol. I know an appendix QH yearling filly that is starting her 'terrible twos' and has started taking lessons on proper head flipping and mare etiquette from the other mares. Her owner is having an interesting time with her. Gotta love the mares.

 

[misty'smom]

Well Misty is still doing the shaking/flipping her head thing!!! So I guess it will be her signature trait unless she out grows it!!!!

There is no rhyme or reason to when she does it either!

But I am thankful she didn't have any medical issues!! She is just at that age you know the terrible 2s at 18 months old!!

Josie (my little dwarf) is Misty's half sister and 1 month older and not so bratty at this point. Josie just turns around and walks away when she is done with whatever is going on, she is just soooo cute!!!

 

[Mona]

Any chance you can get a short video clip of her doing it??

 

[MyMiniGal]

Halo turned two in June, and still does it. I expect her to do it for the rest of her life. LOL

 

[misty'smom]

Never posted a video but I can sure try!!! I think my iPhone camera takes short videos, I'll give it a try in the next couple of days........any particular reason or do you just want to see some attitude!! LOL

 

[Mona]

I am just interested in seeing if to me, it looks to be attitude or if it looks to be shaking for another reason.

 

[Tab]

Joe and Jamie both toss their heads. They are prone to needing teeth floated more often because they have tiny heads. They are a bit sassy. (Addressed to the op.)