My horse has developed narcolepy. When I witnessed an episode Star went backwards in her stall, hit the back of the stall, had all four legs go out from under her and when she went down hit her head on the side of the stall. A call to the vet has not settled my nerves. When she hit the stall with her head she had skinned off her hair in two places and had a good sized bump over her left eye.
I am trying to find some kind of helmet for her. If I pad her stall with something that would cushion her during and attack I know she would chew it. Rubber floor mats do not have enough give to them. So far all I have been able to find are head bumpers. Good for the top of the head but not for the eye area and the rest of her face.
I have had her since birth (she is 13 yrs old) . Like most horse lovers I don't like to see her get hurt!
Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can protect her from hurting herself?

Thanks,
Pam Hillier

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http://www.softstall.com/softwall_products.asp

that link came to mind..I was thinking of redoing my old trailers side with it, but then we bought a newer trailer, they also have the same soft stall for the flooring aswell. Also try purchasing one of these ( http://www.sstack.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=6481&a... ) for her head..

Also..as someone who dealing with AQHA/APHA halter horses has seen HYPP go around, it may also be better for you and her to go through euthanasia..I am not being rude, or mean..but sometimes what is best doesn't seem right at first..and going through all this work (the stall pading is expensive), and watching her, and the worry your going to go through (what if she gets cast in her stall? and your not there), and the danger she can put you into (with another episode), sometimes is not the healthiest, and best choice.

I am sorry, I can only imagine what it is like.. I have an up and coming horse that I have owned since he was 2 months old, and have known him since birth..I have done all the work with him and I can only image what it is like after 13 years..
Sleep deprivation can produce similar symptoms to narcolepsy. Horses need to have roughly 30min per day of lying down sleep or they will become sleep deprived. My boy started to collapse on me twice as I was tacking up but I woke him up and he never did it again. I can tell he lies down by the dirt on him - it's not the same as if he just rolls.

Has something changed for her? Does she lie down and sleep?

There was a horse in one of the barns where I boarded who had narcolepsy diagnosed. The horse never lied down and even rolling was a terribly rare thing. This horse had some physical issues and I wondered if they were making lying down or the between movements (getting up or going down) uncomfortable.

It might not be a physical issue - if something else in her environment or herd has changed she may not be mentally willing to lie down long enough to sleep.


I did once see on the internet a face shield or helmet for horses that covered most of the face. I can't remember what the name was.
We had an ex-racer who was diagnosed with narcolepsy. Her attacks were stress induced and for us, too, the first one was triggered during saddling. My husband was tacking me for her, and I screamed at him convinced he had somehow caused it! We later learned she had narcolepsy, as does her full sibling but not her half sibling.

She has a happy life as a dressage horse, and does well. Her owner is aware of the signs that she is "sliding", and is able to "wake her". She has never had an episode anyone knows of where she collapsed at night.

I'm sorry, i don't know of any helmets. If her chewing things she shouldn't becomes an isuse, perhaps you can take a grazing muzzle, enlarge the whole so she can eat her hay, but cannot chew the padding etc?

Best wishes,
AnnMarie
Crosswinds Equine Rescue
Thanks to all of you. The thing I forgot to mention was that the day before she had her episode she had foundered. The vet treated her but with her feet so sore I think 4Xchestnut was right on about no rem sleep.
She has been on pain killers and I bought a set of boots for her front feet. Before I had the boots I found her standing in the barn and her whole body was quivering! Once I got her to eat some hay this quivering stopped. Normally the two horses can go in and out of the barn as they wish but since reading the responses here, I have been stalling her each night and in the morning she is covered with shavings! She is recovering well and walking much better. Thanks again!

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