My horse coughs

[Laura Jenkins]

Whenever I ride out, within 500 yards my horse will do about 4-6 big coughs then a big nose blow. He does this in the summer or from when we get dry weather. He lives out 24/7 and always has done. He's only started doing this in the last 2 years though. He doesn't cough any other time just then. Oh and occasionally maybe once on the way home. Should I put him in a linctus. I tried a linctus last year and stuff for hayfever but to be honest it didn't really make a difference. what is it and why does he do it ? it's scary ?

 

[Green Bean]

If he hasn't been coughing in the past, only in the past two years, I would say it is unlikely that it is allergies unless you have moved him to a new area. I have had similar with my horse (I have a post in this forum). She was seen by the vet, given a dilator liquid to go in her feed. This seemed to work but a week after it ended she started again. She went in to the vets to have an endoscope on Wednesday, this looks in detail at everything rather than just throwing medicines at her hoping they will work. You may need to consider something similar

 

[poiuytrewq]

It is possible that it’s allergies, even if you are in the same area. Crop rotations on farm, different planting etc can all change the type of pollen exposure. We had, for the first time ever crops of peas planted adjacent to the horses fields. So different pollens, also the dust that came off them When harvested and baled was incredible.
I always assume a cough like yours though, as in only at the beginning of a ride to be more dust irritation than allergy related, more a clearing of the throat and chest. In my horse it’s generally a sign his bedding is getting a bit dusty or my hay isn’t being soaked as well as I should.
Yours lives out but does he get hay?
I think Naff Respirator is really helpful, I’ve tried loads of brands over the years but this one definitely helps!

 

[Laura Jenkins]

It is possible that it’s allergies, even if you are in the same area. Crop rotations on farm, different planting etc can all change the type of pollen exposure. We had, for the first time ever crops of peas planted adjacent to the horses fields. So different pollens, also the dust that came off them When harvested and baled was incredible.
I always assume a cough like yours though, as in only at the beginning of a ride to be more dust irritation than allergy related, more a clearing of the throat and chest. In my horse it’s generally a sign his bedding is getting a bit dusty or my hay isn’t being soaked as well as I should.
Yours lives out but does he get hay?
I think Naff Respirator is really helpful, I’ve tried loads of brands over the years but this one definitely helps!

they have been off the hay for 2 weeks now and have grass they are out 24/7 and it only starts middle of spring. The vet said last year it was hayfever. He doesn't struggle to breath he just gets runny eyes (which I've cured with a bee hive fly mask) I've put him on a Kof eze now that seemed to help last year. The ground is just sooooo dry ?