FreddiesGal
Well-Known Member
Hi all, I'll try to keep this as short as possible. I have a Welsh D gelding who is 6 and a half. I bought him from England, had him transported to France (where I was living at the time) and then had him transported back to the U.K about 4 months ago when I moved back here. I've owned him a year and a half, and during this time he has had a cough on and off.
In France I presumed it was the change in temperature and the very dusty ground. In the summer he wasn't too bad but as winter came he got progressively worse. The horses had to be stabled at night from Nov-March/April, and during this time he was on flax and soaked hay. This didn't stop him coughing. I had the vet out who told me he had inflamed lungs, to give him a week off and to inject him with the anti-biotics he gave me for him once a day for a week. Along with this he prescribed a 50 euro tub of garlic pellets and a TINY tub of gel for his nose which was basically like Sinex for horses. None of this made any difference what so ever.
Once back in England, he was still coughing. I got the vet out once again who listened to his heart and lungs and said everything sounded fine. She couldn't tell me what was wrong with him. After this I gave him 2 weeks off again, 2 weeks later the problem remained.
He lives out 24/7 on good grass with no hay, so I really don't think dust is the issue here. I haven't ridden him properly for about 3 months, I hack him in walk once a week, if that.
Now the odd part which baffles me. He can gallop and buck around the field for 20 minutes without coughing at all. Yes, when I ride he is carrying extra weight, but I find it odd that he can hoon around like nothing is wrong for 20 minutes non-stop, yet I ask for 10 seconds of controlled canter and he coughs like there is no tomorrow.
The only think I can think at the moment is that he has a very long lasting virus. I think this because when I got him he had a load of warts of his sheath (which have now all disappeared).
He always seems well in himself, is bright eyed etc.
Before I get another vet out and go down a potentially very expensive route of getting to the bottom of this, has anyone else experienced this problem? I just want my cheeky little man back!
In France I presumed it was the change in temperature and the very dusty ground. In the summer he wasn't too bad but as winter came he got progressively worse. The horses had to be stabled at night from Nov-March/April, and during this time he was on flax and soaked hay. This didn't stop him coughing. I had the vet out who told me he had inflamed lungs, to give him a week off and to inject him with the anti-biotics he gave me for him once a day for a week. Along with this he prescribed a 50 euro tub of garlic pellets and a TINY tub of gel for his nose which was basically like Sinex for horses. None of this made any difference what so ever.
Once back in England, he was still coughing. I got the vet out once again who listened to his heart and lungs and said everything sounded fine. She couldn't tell me what was wrong with him. After this I gave him 2 weeks off again, 2 weeks later the problem remained.
He lives out 24/7 on good grass with no hay, so I really don't think dust is the issue here. I haven't ridden him properly for about 3 months, I hack him in walk once a week, if that.
Now the odd part which baffles me. He can gallop and buck around the field for 20 minutes without coughing at all. Yes, when I ride he is carrying extra weight, but I find it odd that he can hoon around like nothing is wrong for 20 minutes non-stop, yet I ask for 10 seconds of controlled canter and he coughs like there is no tomorrow.
The only think I can think at the moment is that he has a very long lasting virus. I think this because when I got him he had a load of warts of his sheath (which have now all disappeared).
He always seems well in himself, is bright eyed etc.
Before I get another vet out and go down a potentially very expensive route of getting to the bottom of this, has anyone else experienced this problem? I just want my cheeky little man back!
