Schooling Vin this evening was both not good and very good.
Flatwork.
Within 15 minutes of commencing work he started headshaking.
And the problem grew.
So we took a breather, I dismounted, tied him up and got out the nose net that I bought the week before last.
I had spent a little time preparing it and fitting it to size.
It took about ten minutes to get Vin’s bridle off, attach the net, refit the bridle and remount in the arena.
We walked for ten minutes, then trotted alternating reins for another ten.
No headshaking.
Stone me!
Canter work; five minutes of left rein then five minutes of right rein.
No headshaking.
So we rode BE Dressage Test 102.
It was a fairly good effort, but not worth a collection of 8s – which is what we’re aiming for, obv!
The really puzzling thing is that headshaking is related to pollen – and the nose net is a pollen filter.
But today has been classified as a ‘no pollen’ day on the pollen count.
Peculiar.
Anyway, having established that Vin’s headshaking is treatable (though it’s still unclear what the cause is) my next course of action is to write to British Eventing seeking ‘special dispensation’ from them, allowing us to use the nose net ‘in competition’ (if circumstances/conditions call for it to be used).
I need to get the rule book out to see precisely what’s involved; I have a feeling I might need to ask the Vet for a letter.
Ho hum.
B.
Kind of unrelated, but you’ll be pleased to hear that I shall be going to bed with ‘I got the Hippy Hippy Shakes…’ going round my head.
This is neither big, nor indeed, clever.
Good night.
And Pah.
Sx
‘shake it to the left..’ I loved that song and boy could I dance it!
BUT – Vin. Pollen. Vaseline! Vaseline around the nostrils. End of. Do it and watch!
Sooz: Why, what will it do and for how long should I watch it?
It will catch any pollen about to go up his nose. Works on eyebrows too but I’m not sure horses have those. Obv it might not do the trick as well as it does in humans because that’s a lot of nostril hole so some of the pollen will still get up there…
A watch-pot never boils. Neither will Vin. He might just shake his head a bit less. (although it’s not an exact science…)
Oh dear, I’m sorry about Vin’s headshaking, it is a horrible thing. One of our mares suddenly developed it after being operated for a twisted gut – no apparent connection between the two, but they both happened at the same time, and she did it year round. Not having nose-nets in those days, I used to fit a nylon stocking over her nose and bit; it helped a lot, but drew some funny looks. I hope you can get the necessary dispensation. Fingers crossed for you.
Thanks Susie. It’s a worry but that’s horses for you, eh? 🙂