Excessive sneezing in canter

[bounce]

My youngster is coming along nicely but I’m a little concerned that any canter work when schooling seems to trigger a lot of sneezing. She doesn’t sneeze in walk and trot and only starts sneezing in canter work. She doesn’t do it when jumping as is focused on the fences. She doesn’t headshake and she has no cough or discharge at all and is in good health.
Could this be a habit or an indicator to a possible problem? Has anyone had experience of anything similar?

 

[Red-1]

As long as that is the only symptom I would not worry too much. Canter has a phase in the stride that really does empty the lungs, whereas walk/trot do not. I would suspect she is possibly not fully engaging her lungs in walk/trot and then in canter they are assisted mechanically, so she empties them and then has a tickle.

 

[Shay]

But that would result in a cough wouldn't it, not a sneeze? That was my first though too - many horses cough a little as they get going. But a full on sneeze is something else.

In your place OP I would probably ask the vet on their next call out. It could indicate some early nerve issues which might end in head shaking. The fact she doesn't do it when her adrenaline is up a bit - when she is jumping - makes me think nerves but she might be sensitive to an allergen (or just the dust ATM!) and sneezing when she breaths more deeply.

 

[milliepops]

I wouldn't panic too much unless it really goes on for a long time - my welshie will often sneeze several times on starting to canter and for her it's just the release of a little tension. In fact at home I now have to try and trigger that release because she always goes better afterwards at a show it is almost immediate.

I've found my younger horse is the same, as soon as she starts cantering she has a little sneeze. I think it's the same reason with her.

 

[bounce]

Its not so much a clearing sneeze at the beginning of the canter, in fact the first short canter she doesn't sneeze. When you continue to canter she then starts sneezing and continues to do so until you trot and as soon as you trot she stops sneezing. She is only 4 and hasn't done a huge amount of cantering so far and is also just building her fitness. I'm pretty certain it is not dust or allergy related. She has a tendency at present to be overbent in the canter and I wonder if that has something to do with it as when jumping she is focused on a fence with her head up. She doesn't sneeze if she canters around the paddock, but as the ground is so hard I haven't done any cantering out on hacks so can't compare that with in an arena.