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To do well in any athletic performance—dressage, reining, cutting, eventing, even strenuous trail riding—horses need to be able to breathe freely. The flow of air can be impeded by inflammation, infection, or mechanical problems, among other things.

Inflammation of the respiratory passages may occur when horses inhale dust particles and mold spores from hay or stall bedding. Using low-dust bedding such as pine shavings, briefly dipping hay in water before feeding, and removing the horse from the stall while it is being mucked out are management steps that help to minimize the number of irritating particles that the horse inhales. Various decongestant medications can also be given to reduce airway constriction caused by reactions to mold and dust.

Discharge draining from infected guttural pouches can impede the free flow of air. These infections can be treated by a veterinarian who may use oral, injected, or infused antibiotics as treatments. Other illnesses such as rhinopneumonitis and influenza can interfere with respiratory function, and horses should be vaccinated against these diseases.

Inflammation of the airways can be caused by exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH, or bleeding). Horses with this condition have bleeding from the small blood vessels in the lungs when they exercise intensely. Mild bleeding may not be obvious, but some horses show blood dripping from the nostrils after exercise. If the bleeding is severe enough, it can seriously interfere with breathing and can even be fatal. Treatment with furosemide is generally helpful for horses with EIPH.

Another cause of mechanical blockage is dorsal displacement of the soft palate. This problem involves soft structures in the horse’s throat near the larynx. Normally the soft palate lies below the epiglottis, a triangular wedge that keeps food and water from entering the lungs. In some strenuously exercising horses, there is a tendency for the soft palate to ride up over the epiglottis. This pushes the palate into the flow of exhaled air, suddenly making it difficult for the horse to breathe. A loud choking or gurgling sound and a sharp decrease in exercise intensity are signs that the palate has become displaced. Tongue ties, surgery, or use of a specially designed throat collar can help horses that are prone to this problem.

If owners or trainers notice that the horses they are riding have noisy breathing or trouble getting enough air, they should have the horses examined by a veterinarian. This professional can usually provide a diagnosis and begin treatment to fix the problem and return the horse to a healthy condition.

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