Coughing

Wicked

I really hope someone can help with this.

My pony has a cough. However I have tried every remedy under the sun and it is just not getting better. Heres when it happens

When i go into the stable to tack him up, he coughs - maybe once/twice.

Once tacked up he hacks along lovely on the roads or in the field, walking and trotting is fine, as soon as we break into a canter he'll let a couple of coughs, then he's fine. He only coughs occasiongly when out riding and then sometimes when i'm finished and untacking him he will cough several times.

He dosn't have a snotty nose, he's bright, alert, happy to hack along and he eats everything in front of him.

I've tried wetting hay, cutting out hay, changing nuts, using munch, i've tried tonics, doses, powders, i've left him out instead of in and nothing is working.

He was scoped before and the vet said that when he coughs he's just clearing his lungs,

The problem is I can't bring him anywhere, if i go to a show and he gets into a fit of coughing people think i'm terrible to be riding him, i can't meet with other horse friends cos they think he has a virus and will pass it on.

Does anyone have any advice or experience on how i can try and fix this problem. help is much appreciated

alexi_mcg

Hi, that sounds exactly like what happened me with my horse. She coughed only when starting work, only occassionaly at other times and was perfectly heathly otherwise. I got dirty looks from other livery owners who thought their horses might catch something so after several weeks of trying the same as you - soaking hay etc - I got the vet out. She basically said it was similar to asthma in humans and the only way to "cure" it was as much turn out as possible.

So my horse has been turned out 24/7 for the past 2-3 years and hasn't coughed once! This may not be an option for you but it really is the only way to stop the coughing. Obviously I'm no vet and your horse could have something completely different, but that's just my two cents!

Hope that helps, and that you find some answer for your horse!

byhookorbycrook

I had a horse who had a "dressage cough". He would nearly be spitting up his lungs but the moment he'd catch sight of a fence, not a splutter!!

convert

It could be an allergy to bedding. A friend's horse was allergic to straw and had to be bedded on shavings all the time to avoid allergies. I once had a pony who was allergic to paper bedding.

A few other things (and apologies if they seem so basic as to bordering on insulting) which could contribute to the cough are dusty feed (sometimes happens when the bags have been moved about quite alot) or dusty/poor quality/mouldy hay. Some people feed haylage instead to avoid this, though it depends on an individual's preferences.

I had a horse who would give one or two coughs when I was limbering him out, and then he'd be fine for the rest of the day. Moreover, he'd rarely give a cough when he was brought out hunting or competing. We put it down to the fact that he was simply clearing his lungs, like people do, and there's nothing much you can do except, if it's feasible, turning him out as much as possible (weather and ground conditions permitting, of course!)

And I know exactly how you feel about taking your pony out and he gives a cough - you feel like everybody is looking at you for taking out a coughing pony!

I know you had your pony scoped, but maybe you should have a chat to your vet about it and see if (s)he has any other suggestions which may help.

Hobbidance

When I was in America we had this one pony that was ridiculously allergic to practically everything. If there was too much dust, she'd get a runny nose and cough, she had to have one certain kind of oats because she was allergic to every other kind. Which in turn had to be stored away from the other feeds. She also had to have her own hay because she was allergic to the hay the other horses ate. Which also had to be stored seperately and soaked in hot water for 20 mins before she ate it... -sigh- She couldn't ride out unless the ring was watered. She could only be let out for short grazing times because she sneezed and snorted all the time and she'd also break out in hives if she got a reaction to something new. Like the different kind of carrots they have in florida compared to the ones in new york... :rolleyes:

What I'm trying to say is maybe have your horse allergy tested. It might not be so much the dust or feed, but it may be something he's eating that he's allegic to. It might not slove it but seeing as you've tried so much thats just something I thought I might throw out there.

Try things like turning him out while he's being mucked out and leave him out of his stable for up to 30mins afterwards to allow the dust to settle. If the stables are indoors then this could help alot. Other things like feeding him before his bed is done (and not tying up hay), doing the bed and then giving him hay after he's been put back in the stable. They should at least help in some way.

Wicked

Hi all

thanks so much for all your advice - your brilliant.

i'm going to try all your suggestions, i have been turning him out as much as possible and the weather has been great so that helps. i think there is some improvement with him

i'm gonna chance doing a few away things and see what happens!

thanks again