We hope that you will find the following pages helpful and interesting. We understand how profound the effects of this condition can be on your horse, yourself, and your family. If there are issues that you would like us to address on this site, let us know. Our goal is for this site to be as useful to you as possible.
Visit the "About Us" page to learn more about the team of scientists working at UC Davis to help unravel the mysteries of headshaking syndrome.
The "What is Headshaking?" page will introduce you to headshaking syndrome and the different types of headshaking that occur.
"Could My Horse Be a....?" will introduce you to which horses may be affected by headshaking, what it may look like in your horse, and give a few statistics related to headshaking.
The "Dispelling the Myths" page will answer common questions and correct some of the misinformation that circulates regarding headshaking.
The "Treatment Options" page explains the three basic types of treatments available and gives you options for treatments that are currently in use, information about how often each of the treatments are effective, and information about treatment options that have been used, but that are not as promising as once thought.
The "How Can My Vet Help?" page identifies two paths you might take if you think your horse is affected by headshaking syndrome. This page also identifies tests that your veterinarian may recommend to rule out other causes of disease that might result in behaviors similar to headshaking.
Please read this first. This is a private website that is not connected to the University of California at Davis. It was set up to share information with those who own headshaking horses in an effort to help them deal with the syndrome in their horse. The information in this website is not meant in any way to replace treatment by a veterinarian. It is meant to be an aid to you and your veterinarian as you work to control the clinical signs of headshaking exhibited by your horse.
This site is only meant to inform; we take no responsibility for any adverse consequences associated with the reader viewing this website and initiating any changes in treatment, handling or any activities associated with their horse. By reading this web site, horse owners accept the lack of liability of those associated with the creation of this site. Any changes in the handling, riding, use and care of your horse with headshaking should be undertaken only with consultation directly with your own veterinarian.
Welcome to headshakerinfo.org
Dr. John Madigan has been working with headshakers since 1991, and in fact named the syndrome photic headshaking after he identified it 20 years ago. With 20 years of clinical, scientific, and observational experience, his wealth of information and his perspective on the problem are unmatched.
Dr. Madigan has a team of scientists/veterinarians with a variety of backgrounds working together as a team to solve the problem of equine headshaking syndrome.