Head Shaking Feed Trial

Must have been around April or May when someone at the yard handed me a thumbnail article from Horse and Hound magazine. Liverpool University Vet School at Leahurst, were looking for head shaking horses, on which to trial a feed supplement. Developed in association with a NAF a specialist Equine feed supplement manufacturer. Designed to alleviate the symptoms.

A chance not to be missed. After being granted permission from her owner. I quickly emailed the University. I soon received a reply accepting Heather onto the trial. Not long after, an information pack and questionnaire.

The trial was to take place through the Summer months. A time when most head shakers are at their worst. Heather unfortunately shows symptoms throughout the year. She was to be videoed three times at work. Once before the trial. Then again after each of one months trial feed supplement. There would be one active tub and one placebo of similar colour and taste. I was to feed two scoops in each feed. With a two week period between.

Helen, the technician from the University arrived promtly for the first and all subsequent visits. I was a little anxious as Heather was still slightly lame in her near hind fetlock. Would have been very embarrassing to put a lame horse infront of the vets school! I explained this and so trotted Heather round the school in hand. Obviously a horse doesn't work as hard without a rider. Whereas I was the one with a very red face, sweating and blowing hard after ten minutes trying hard to get Heather worked up! Consequently Heather hardly showed a sign of head shaking..and I felt more than a little silly. Most importantly, we got the first tub of supplement "Trial Supplement 1."

So I fed it to her religiously, two scoops in each feed for a month. Sadly, though I hoped and hoped, there was no change in her behaviour and I continued to use the nose net to ride

The second video shoot followed. I'd hacked her out beforehand, down a wooded track where she head shakes most. It was quite a warm day and it wasn't long before she warmed up and began to throw her head about. So I was confident to get this behaviour captured on camera.

Unfortunately our only choice of arena was being used by a bunch of girls on some of the school ponies. I had worked Heather individually in the school, in preparation for this video. So wasn't ready, though not totally surprised by her reaction, to being in close company with all these ponies. Not only did she more or less ignore me. But insisted on putting her ears back, pulling faces and threatening everyone else. So the video this time consisted of me, looking the Worlds worst rider, half beating up a very angry horse. Displaying everything, but head shaking!

I filled out the questionnaire for Helen, embarrassingly dripping sweat all over it. My mind was blank with all the effort and I think I filled in half the simple questions, the wrong way round...Also remember adding on the sheet, that this was not the active supplement...So fingers crossed for the second tub. "Trial Supplement A."