Case Studies
& Testimonials

Tail. 9 year old ex racehorse.



Tails presenting symptoms were originally;- incessant vertical headshaking both whilst in stable and
field, and also when being ridden.  This improved with use of a nose stocking, but alternatively resulted
in sneezing and teeth grinding = not a happy horse.  Owner reported he had never done this before and
is usually the happiest chap you could ever meet. He spent a lot of time with his muzzle resting in his
water bowl, or if he was out would go around the paddock dragging his muzzle on the ground.  He also
cribbed/windsucked, rubbed his head, disliked having his head touched & appeared to have pain in his
neck.

A brief history from the owner

Tail came to me 14th Feb 2009 following racing since he was a two year old. He was bred by
Kilnamoragh Stud in Ireland went to the yearling sales at Newmarket where he lost his tail due to them
leaving a tail bandage on for too long too tight.  He was later sold to Martin Lynch who trains in
Ireland.  He raced on the flat, over hurdles and fences but was too slow.  When he was given to me he
was in fit racing condition and his coat was dull.  He is keen to do anything, is never a dull ride and is
always cheeky.  Since then he has blossomed into a chunky chap and loves his feed, going out and is
the one horse who is always happy - until now. There may have been small instances of nose rubbing
on a fore limb, but I have videos of him going out post snow in Jan and there is no headshaking
whatsoever.  The first I recall is the 17/02/2011, thinking he wasn't himself.

  • 05/02/2011 - flu & Tet jab
  • 11/02/2011 5 sheep arrived to keep the paddocks tidy.
  • 17/02/2011 noticed Tail spending a lot of time with his muzzle in water bowl and not happy in
    himself.
  • 21/02/2011 wormed with bimectin, the vet who keeps her horse here suggests it could be mites
    from the sheep.
  • 23/02/2011 The osteopath came to look at Tail - slight tightness in neck but nothing to cause
    headshaking or unhappiness.  I then put Tail out in paddock.  Tail rushed up to Grey Abbey Vet
    hospital after horrible incident headshaking in the paddock.  He was terrified galloping around,
    then suddenly stopping and rubbing his whole front of his head along the ground before
    galloping off and repeating the sequence.  I thought he had something stuck so took him to be
    scoped.  By the time he was scoped he had settled ad nothing was found so we presumed that
    whatever was stuck had been dislodged.  Vet gave him dexameth intra venously and then two
    oral doses for the following two days.
  • 28/02/2011 wormed with ecomectin, follow up dose aimed at mites.
  • 13/03/2011 - We go show jumping, warm up is in an indoor arena, still intermittent
    headshaking.  Outside we nearly wipe out over a fence as he "tics" in his leg just before take
    off.  Not good, as clear apart from this and Tail hates to touch a pole.
  • 15/03/2011 - XC schooling - no headshaking.
  • 16/03/2011 Dentist comes to look at Tail.  Not long since he was done last and Marc says
    nothing wrong with teeth but i must get xray of sinuses and poll so books me into Anglesey
    Lodge.  Rang Vet who said only thing she could recommend was Dex and to go to Anglesey as
    they may have new cure.  She also said the University vet school may be of help - and would be
    interested in a case study.  Told to keep riding him.
  • 17/03/2011 Eventing - windy cool day, no headshaking prior to dressage, headshaking both
    before and after sj and xc but not during.
  • 19/03/2011 - Headshaking getting progressively worse, happening constantly, Tail has a break
    by resting muzzle in water bowl.
  • 21/03/2011 telephoned John Warwick (vet for Coolmore sales purchases, Suzanna Bordone
    event rider, Jessica Harrington) - he advised to put a stocking over his nose which worked but
    resulted in teeth grinding and sneezing.  He said this proved it was a nasal complaint so would be
    an allergy so I must try trial and error of cutting things out of his daily routine - BUT I never
    changed anything so sceptical of this. Told to keep riding him.
  • 23/03/2011 Anglesey Lodge Veterinary Hospital -  Luckily for Tail he only performed a small
    amount of headshaking which they diagnosed as non photic, as it was a sunny day, and they
    decided that they were running out of time for Tail to perform so I would have to go back
    another day - or leave him!  
  • 26/03/2011 - Consulted with Vet who gave me a bottle of dexameth to treat Tail using pulse
    therapy. Slight improvement following the dex, Tail seems calmer but headshaking.  We have
    good days and bad days

11/4/11
Hi Annabelle,

Your parcel arrived on Thursday, and since then I have been giving Formula 1 in morning and Formula
2 in the evening.  I have noticed an improvement in Tail - he seems happier in himself, is spending more
time away from his water bowl and when he's at the bowl he doesn't always have his muzzle in the
water.  He still has good and bad days, and is still headshaking, just not as bad as before.  
If we can get rid of the headshaking you are welcome to use us as a case study!  I think that is all for
the moment anyway!  Look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards,
Nicola

15/5/11
Hi Annabelle,
Just thought I'd email you as Tail is so much better! He has been back in full
work for the last three weeks, and today I took him eventing, mainly to give him
a playful outing. He's back to his cheeky self and ended up being placed
seventh!
Thank you so much for helping him with the awful headshaking, he was at a point
where many people would have given up and put him down, certainly the vets were
baffled by him.
Thanks again, just wanted to let you know how much better he is.
Kind regards,
Nicola
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