One Simple Technique To Help A Horse With Breathing Problems

Help a horse with breathing problems or just improve respiratory health and condition, with this simple change that could reduce winter coughing bouts and help to improve performance.

Amidst a flair-up of respiratory symptoms, such as coughing and nasal discharge, it’s often easy to turn to supplements to alleviate the problem. However, supplements can only go so far as to assist respiratory wellness, especially with environmental factors normally playing a huge role in the onset of symptoms. However, simply swapping out a hay net and placing forage on the floor can work wonders to aid respiratory condition.

What’s the Problem With Hay Nets?

Hay nets can contribute to breathing problems due to the design and how horses use them.

Hay is a major source of respirable particles (particles which your horse can breathe in), much like bedding. So, when horses are fed from hay nets for a long period in less ventilated and confined spaces, such as barns and stables, they can contribute to breathing issues.

Researchers have found that feeding from a hay net results in over four-times the exposure of respirable particles when compared to feeding hay from the floor – perfectly illustrating why feeding from the floor is much more beneficial for the equine respiratory system.

It has been suggested that this increase in respirable particles from offering hay in a hay net may be due to horses burying their muzzle and putting their nostrils extremely close to the hay, in order to access hay from the hay net. In comparison, when fed from the floor, horses position their nostrils above the hay. In addition, hay nets are constantly agitated as horses pull at the hay to eat, creating dust and particles in the air, meanwhile, dust is allowed to settle on the ground when fed from the floor.

References

Ivester, K., et al. (2012) Variability in particulate concentrations in a horse training barn over time. Equine Veterinary Journal.

Clements, J.M. and Pirie, R.S. (2007) Respirable dust concentrations in equine stables. Part 1: validation of equipment and effect of various management systems. Research of Veterinary Science.

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