Cough when transition fron walk to trot

[Lauren90]

My mare and I have recently moved to a new yard where she is turned out in the day and stables at night. She's on straw bed with her hay soaked.

I've recently noticed, when using the indoor that she coughs when moving from walk to trot. It's only once, like a dry cough but as she's recently started doing it I'd like opinions on the best course of action. She's fine after the 1 or 2 coughs and it's always walk to trot that gets her never canter or back down to walk.

Thanks,

 

[Pinkvboots]

Does she have any history of any breathing problems? Any discharge from her nostrils? My horse sometimes does this on our first trot vet told me they are just clearing the throat and is common for some horses to do this as long as they dont have any of the above, also wanted to say if your horse needs to eat wet hay its pointless if your bedding them down on straw, you should change to a different bedding that is less dusty and not palatable.

 

[Lauren90]

The hay was because she would sometimes cough if it was dry so I soaked and she hasn't since. The straw isn't too dusty but I am considering moving to shavings.
I haven't noticed any discharge and no record of any breathing problems. Will keep and extra eye out for the discharge now jut at incase
Thanks,

 

[Tilda]

My horse does it on his first trot of any session whether hacking or schooling. There are other horses I know that do it too

 

[violethillx]

May be due to winter dust and the change from being out more to coming in to a more dusty environment. My mare coughs when asking for trot but I think its a way of trying to get out of work ha! Try cough medicine like benalyn if it continues as could just be a winter cough rather than a respiratory problem? x

 

[JustKickOn]

My horse does it on his first trot of any session whether hacking or schooling. There are other horses I know that do it too

Echo that!!!

 

[Lauren90]

Im hoping that it is the dust an climate change that's doing it. I've kind of come to conclusion that as long as her breathing is fine otherwise and it doesn't get any worse then it's probably exactly that.

 

[Chamfrom]

My gelding does this and has for years - the vet says he has a small pocket in his lunges that is over stretched and does not contract - so a small pocket of mucus stays there - when we go up from walk to trot and the start of our ride he always has to get his head down and clear himself. I have him on Equine America Airways extra strength powder. I can always tell when I have been a bit ditsy and we have run out for a day - have tried other things and now found anything as good. The vet was not too worried about him and he has evented with no issues.... I keep him on this permanently - wonderful stuff.

 

[Lauren90]

Chamfrom, that's an option I guess but I'm conscious of not just adding supplements to feed for the sake of it, particularly of there's one that will work better for her than another. The issue is theres so many to choose from. A vet visit may be worth while to rule out anything worrying and to confirm just the dust or otherwise.

 

[Queenbee]

My gelding does this and has for years - the vet says he has a small pocket in his lunges that is over stretched and does not contract - so a small pocket of mucus stays there - when we go up from walk to trot and the start of our ride he always has to get his head down and clear himself. I have him on Equine America Airways extra strength powder. I can always tell when I have been a bit ditsy and we have run out for a day - have tried other things and now found anything as good. The vet was not too worried about him and he has evented with no issues.... I keep him on this permanently - wonderful stuff.

Ebs had something similar, basically the lungs are so darn large that the mucous can get trapped right at the bottom of them, it can get slightly worse in winter bringing on a low grade pneumonia.... Nothing sinister just mucous that rattles and needs to be shifted, we used to put my mare on a course of sputolosin... This helps break the mucous down, and an increased work regime with lots of cardio workouts... Translate... Fast work, get those lungs working and really pumping, increasing their strength and capacity and their ability to shift the gunk, one or two 'clear the pipes' coughs during a workout is quite common in horses.

 

[milliepops]

My horse does it on his first trot of any session whether hacking or schooling. There are other horses I know that do it too

This, although mine only does it when schooling Always has done. She always has soaked hay and is kept on shavings.

 

[Lauren90]

Thanks for all your replies aslong as it stays consistent and doesn't get worse then it should be ok. Might get some shavings in just to be sure. Apparently shavings as a bed are easier anyway... The amount of trips I make with that wheelbarrow and straw in one day is enough in anybody's lifetime

 

[Rosiejazzandpia]

Benylin

 

[Skipadeedooda]

Yeap my boy foes this but has COPD, I'm not in any way saying ur horse has this. My boy is now on soaked hay and cardboard bedding so totally dust free he used to cough in morning at feed time with a glue like substance bring coughed up. Now he only coughs when going walk to trot in and vet said same as many others about mucus settling then being dislodged when going up to trot. So perfectly normal as long as there's not coughing at other times or any discharge some horses supposedly have a deeper pocket than others so not all horses do this but it's pretty common

 

[Tilda]

My vet actually thinks my horse has had a tie back operation in the past as he has a hoarse whinny, he makes a slight noise which doesn't get any worse with exercise, does this coughing thing on his first trot and he was pretty sure he could feel scarring around his throat. He offered to scope for me but at the time it wasn't (and still isn't) a concern so I declined but I may do it when I have some spare (as if) money one day just to see if he was right.

I do have him on dampened or steamed hay but that's more of a precaution.

 

[Shadow the Reindeer]

Exercise induced cough - maybe worth looking at supplements for airways,changing her bed from straw to shavings? I know this because in the past my lad has had this, although it usually only happens when he's not worked for several days, then he's fine afterwards.

edited to add, he doesn't do this all year round, it's just every now and then.

 

[Shadow the Reindeer]

Also, is your mare very wet? Does the bed stink of ammonia (urine)? Another reason to come off straw, shavings have a much more pleasant smell about them, and she won't be inhaling any ammonia at night (irritates the lining of the lungs) plus, she won't be eating any either.
May I also suggest investing in rubber matting if you don't already have it, saves a fortune in bedding as well