Starting in spring, stables have more than their share of flies. When a fly lands on a horse’s head or neck, the automatic response is to remove the fly with headshaking. Some horses, however, shake their heads, snort and sneeze without any obvious explanation. These headshaking horses are sometimes unrideable and dangerous at worst, frustrating at best. This idiopathic headshaking remains largely misunderstood. Current treatments offer such inconsistent and unreliable success rates with some not allowed in competition.
Solving the problem of headshaking requires understanding the horse’s natural anti-fly reflex that triggers automatic headshaking. This fly defense system is sensitive and, in equine headshaking, is being stimulated even when there are no flies present.
The cause of this unwanted stimulation is blood vessel damage in the skin from extra high blood pressure. The obstructed circulation from this will cause pressure on the hair bulbs of the neck or head. Then the head will shake just as if a fly has landed! Because exercise affects blood pressure, in most cases, horses only headshake when they are asked for work. Headshaking naturally stops when the fly defense system is shut off, for example, in winter and in the dark, giving equine headshaking a seasonal attribute.
There is now an easy solution to the blood pressure problem behind headshaking. That solution is a patented, non-invasive dermal patch that serves as a natural electrolyte balancing system. Developed by Therapina Ltd in the United Kingdom, the SmartCell SignalTM system restores normal cell metabolism by stimulating communication directly between cells. This begins a sequence of healthy changes in the horse’s body, with optimal electrolyte balance restoring normal blood pressure and healing the blood vessel damage in the skin. The patch is marketed under the trade name, “Equiwinner”.
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These electrolyte-balancing patches are safe, effective and easy to use. The simple, 10-day treatment costs less than continually trying to treat or manage the symptoms of headshaking. One single treatment can be effective for up to one full year, when used as directed. Because the patches contain only naturally balanced electrolytes, no chemicals or drugs are released into the horse’s body so the animal will never test positive in any competitive sport. In long term headshaking cases, a second treatment may be needed to fully repair the damaged blood vessels and nerves around the hair bulbs of the head and neck.
Since electrolytes are involved in every physiological process in the horse’s body, restoring optimal electrolyte balance with Equiwinner clears a number of conditions, including bleeding EIPH , tying-up, non-sweating, headshaking and keeps horses hydrated. Improving the horse’s overall health improves its performance, too.
Equiwinner patches are distributed in the United States and Canada by Signal-Health LLC. and are available from the company’s website at http://www.signal-health.com or by phoning toll-free: 1-877-378-4946.