Cough - when should I worry?

[Flicker]

Hi there - wonder if someone can advise? The mare has a bit of a cough at the moment. She does usually cough quite a bit, but it is a dry cough and I think it is caused by crappy hay. But this one is slightly different - it sounds 'looser', like there is something there. Then she'll have a massive sneeze and clear it. She only gets it when she starts to warm up in her work - it is not a stable cough. She does cough and sneeze her way through it and then works ok, but I do worry.
Should I be worried? And should I be resting her? I've not ridden her since Friday, when I noticed it.
I will get the vet if needs be, but our vets are really busy and I don't want to call him out for something that could be quite trivial.
Any advice gratefully received.

 

[Guinness]

i would ring the vet and ask them! if she coughs normally does she get any treatment for that? and does she have a runny nose? also do you let her eat just before you ride her? could just be she gets food stuck in her throat. i have a friend with a pony and if he snatches a mouthful of grass out on a ride he will cough a few times to get rid of it-could be something similar?

 

[Flicker]

Ah - good points. She sometimes gets a bit of a runny nose - either white or sort of vanilla coloured. Has had it since the day I got her and we've been together three years.
Yes, I do let her eat her hay before riding.
Only treatment is respirator licks that soothe the dry hay cough and seem to work well.
Thanks for the advice.

 

[Guinness]

well in that case i would def ring the vet as its worse than normal, esp if its not getting any better as well

 

[Minifletcher]

One of my ponies has a dry cough at the moment and he gets a sort of thin whitish watery discharge from the nose as well. Its infuriating as I keep thinking, right if he does it two days in a row I will definitely call the vet, but he never does! He will cough 6 or 8 times in a row and then thats it. I can't seem to pin it to anything because if its the hay or straw surely it would be a consistant everyday cough woudn't it? I don't want the vet to come out on a day he doesn't cough and waste both our times!