08/18/2026
🧠🐴 Yes… Horses Can Get Headaches.
We often think of headaches as something only humans experience but horses absolutely have the anatomy and neurological pathways necessary to experience head pain.
In fact, veterinary researchers have specifically investigated whether horses experience headaches. Horses have an extensive trigeminal nerve system, blood vessels, muscles, joints, and pain receptors throughout the head and neck. We also know that horses can develop neuropathic facial pain, including trigeminal-mediated headshaking, which is a recognized pain condition.
So what might head pain look like in a horse?
It isn't always obvious.
You may see:
🐴 Head tossing or shaking
🐴 Sensitivity around the poll, face, or ears
🐴 Tension through the jaw
🐴 Resistance to the bridle
🐴 Difficulty relaxing through the poll
🐴 Changes in facial expression
🐴 Irritability or behavioral changes
🐴 Avoidance of touch around the head
🐴 Changes in performance or willingness to work
Research has shown that horses experiencing pain can display recognizable changes in facial expression, including tension around the eyes, nostrils, lips, chin, and ears. There are even validated tools used to assess pain originating from the head.
So where can bodywork help? 🤲
This is where I believe massage can be an important part of the bigger picture.
The poll, cervical muscles, jaw, TMJ, fascia, and surrounding soft tissues all work together. Tension in the neck and poll can influence how a horse carries their head and moves through their entire body.
Through careful palpation and massage, we can identify areas of increased muscular tension and work to improve soft-tissue mobility, relaxation, and comfort.
And sometimes, I don't need the horse to tell me with a head toss.
Their body tells me.
A change in breathing.
A softening of the eye.
A lowered head.
A relaxed jaw.
A lick and chew.
A deeper release through the neck.
What about EquiTape? 🎗️
EquiTape can be another tool I use as part of a bodywork session.
Kinesiology taping is used in equine rehabilitation as a complementary modality, with the goal of providing sensory input to the skin and underlying tissues while allowing the horse to move normally.
When appropriate, taping can help extend the work beyond the massage session by providing continued sensory input while the horse moves and goes about their normal activities.
But here's the important part:
Massage and EquiTape aren't treatments for an undiagnosed headache.
If your horse suddenly develops head shaking, facial sensitivity, bridle resistance, unusual behavior, or other signs of head pain, that deserves a veterinary evaluation. Dental, ocular, ear, neurological, musculoskeletal, and other conditions can all cause head or neck discomfort.
My job as a bodyworker is to recognize what the tissues are telling me, work within my scope, and be part of the team helping your horse feel their best.
Because sometimes what looks like a "bad attitude"…
may actually be a horse telling us, “My head hurts.” 🤎🐴
