Why Does My Horse Violently Shake Its Head When Turned Out?

Read time: 3 minutes

Overview

If your horse shakes its head violently when turned out, flies are one of the most common reasons, especially in summer. It can also happen because of irritation around the face, nose or ears, or as a response to something in the field or on the horse itself. The key is to look for patterns and any visible signs of discomfort before assuming it is just one thing.

Things To Check

1. Notice when it happens. Is it mainly in bright sun, windy weather, at certain times of day, or only in specific fields?

2. Look at the face and ears for flies, redness, scabs, rubbing, discharge or areas that seem sore to touch.

3. Check the turnout field for standing water, heavy fly activity, long grass near the face, or anything dusty that could be irritating.

4. Think about whether the behaviour starts after grooming, tack fitting, applying fly protection, or wearing a fly mask or nose net.

5. Watch whether the horse is also stamping, tail swishing, rubbing, blinking hard or trying to avoid head contact.

6. Check the nostrils for discharge and listen for noisy breathing, which may suggest the issue is not just flies.

7. Compare turnout with stable time. If it is much worse outside, that points more towards environmental irritation or insect pressure.

Common Causes

Flies and midges are the most common cause in fly season. Some horses are simply much more reactive than others, especially around the face and ears.

Skin irritation can also play a part. That might be from sweating, rubbing, a poorly fitting mask, or a patch of sore skin that becomes more obvious outdoors.

Environmental irritation is another possibility. Dust, pollen, long grass or bright light can all make some horses shake and toss their heads more when they are turned out.

Less commonly, head shaking can be linked to dental discomfort, tack-related issues if the horse is being tacked up before turnout, or a health problem affecting the eyes, nose or ears.

What To Do

Start by noting exactly when the behaviour happens and what seems to make it better or worse. A simple diary or a few short video clips can be very helpful.

Check the horse carefully for obvious irritation and make sure turnout gear fits well without rubbing. If you use a fly mask or nose net, keep an eye on whether the horse tolerates it comfortably.

Try to reduce fly pressure where you can by avoiding peak fly times, keeping the field and nearby areas as tidy as practical, and using sensible routine fly-season management.

If the horse is only doing it outdoors and seems otherwise well, careful observation and environmental changes are often the first step. If the behaviour is persistent, getting worse, or comes with other signs, it is worth taking it more seriously.

Products That May Help

For horses that are reacting mainly to fly pressure and summer irritation, a fly-season collection may be useful as part of your daily turnout routine.

Horse Fly Sprays & Summer Care

Item added to your cart