Managing the snotty horse

H

hairycob

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 May 2005
Messages
3,981
Location
Bedfordshire
Visit site
H is sensitive to dust, the precious thing, something that wasn't apparent when he lived out all year (no can't go back to old yard I left because the place was falling down & they weren't exactly hot on welfare issues & 365 turnout is a real rarity round here). I've been experimenting with his management this winter - he's on mats & wood pellet bedding (tried 2 brands) & I steam his stable hay (bin & kettle method), field hay goes out dry. They are out 12 hours a day.
At first he was on Liverpool Wood Pellets & was still snotty so I changed to White Horse & he was much better. Possibly importantly, I used up the rest of the pallet by moving my messy youngster, who is in the next stable, off straw. Stables are ex calf pens & have mesh at the top half of seperating wall.
Last weekend I had run out of LWP so Jason has gone back onto straw. At the same time I opened a new large bale of hay. Weather has also been much drier recently. This week H is a bit snotty & coughy again, snot is clear & runny. BUT there are no gloops of snot in his stable & the coughing is during the day, not in the morning & his nose is dry when I go up in the morning. Can't make up my mind whether it was taking Jason off straw that sorted it earlier rather than changing H's bedding or if it's this batch of hay or the wetter weather we had until recently kept the hay in the field lightly soaked as he was snotty when we had the cold dry weather (although to complicate my thinking even more he did manage to get an infection in November).
If anybody has managed to stay with me this far I would be grateful for suggestions. I put a large builder bag of hay out in the field each morning which weighs enough dry, so if I need to soak the field hay I would also be gratefull for suggestions of how to build up my muscles! They won't be going out full time until the end of March.
 
I had a problem with a coughing snotty horse for a long time.I had the vet out to him several times who couldn't really find much wrong with him. Like you I steam his hay etc etc so ruled out all possibilities of dust. Sometimes he was snotty and coughing other times not but last winter the snot persisted so I started giving him respirator in his evening feed.
Can't praise the stuff enough, not a cough or snotty experience yet, even though he's been in a lot due to the weather this winter. I do give it all year round not just when he's stabled in winter.No idea if this would be a solution for your horse but might be worth a shot?
He also has hay in the field but not steamed and it doesn't affect his coughing or "snotting" whatsoever. Good luck!
 
I would have thought the straw would be playing a big part. I had my snotty mare on no dust bedding, steamed hay, no mucking out or grooming when she was in the stable etc. She was still snotty (not terribly, but runny nose each morning). Since moving oh mare next door onto the same dust free bedding my mare has had a much much less snotty nose. I am going to start steaming her field hay too as I think improvements can still be made. But for us the straw made a massive difference.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top