Noise when doing fast work

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Charem

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Evening all. Just musing about one of my horses.

The other day I took him out for a lovely long ride on the forest. We did a fair bit of trot and canter-all was well. When we went for a good gallop up one of the sandy tracks, about a minute in to it he was making a noise. It wasn't raspy, almost sounded just like a person breathing when they run. The inhale sounded very simular to the exhale. To my understanding horses shouldn't make a noise when inhaling?

The horse is an ex racer-I believe he has had a wind op (when he neighs it's very low pitched). I hope to do some intro/pre novice eventing with him later this year. What do you think is causing it? Do you think it will have a detreminal effect on him during xc? Is there anything that can/should be done to stop it? I stress he only does it when doing proper fast work, he will do a forward canter all day long without making any noise.

Opinions please! Thanks :)
 
Sounds as if he's had a tie-back operation for broken wind (partial paralysis of the vocal cords). If the operation was successful, then I would expect him to be capable of fast work but he may always make an odd noise. Could you gallop him then count how long it takes him to recover to "normal" respiration/pulse rate? If you're worried, have a word with your vet.
 
ideally they shouldnt make a noise after the op! how fit is he at the moment? the fitter they are the less noise they make. do you know when and what op he had? and which vet did the op? was it a hobday or a full tie back? might be worth a chat with your vet to see if it is worth scoping him to find out why he is still making a noise.
 
Mine still makes a noise with a tie-back. It's a fine judgement how far to tie back. Too far and you get food down the nose and stuff in the airway. Too little and they still make a noise. I'd rather have the noise than the other issues, but mine can run all day without tiring now.

It is true that the fitter horses are the less noise they make. I normally buy big horses and around half horses over 16.3hh will make a noise of some level, so I've had a few.

You would know if he had a problem, he would not be able to gallop for far without stopping. If he is still game to run, you don't have an issue, so save your money on the vet fees and get out there eventing :) !



ps Box of Frogs I think broken wind is the term used to describe the use of the stomach muscles to help breathe - the double breath that you see in the sides of a horse that has what used to be called COPD. Laryngeal paralysis is completely different and caused by degeneration of the nerve that pulls back the left hand side of the larynx (due to the fact that the daft thing comes out of the brain, down the neck, around the heart and all the way back up to the side of the throat - whose design was THAT!?)
 
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