Those of you with horses who have pollen allergies

[Keltic]

If your horse has a pollen allergy, when do you start giving supplements etc? Im thinking around end of March? Would that be early enough? Any good tips or reccomendations would be great, as I dont want to get how we were last year, when she wasnt ridden at all between end of May and end of October. Im thinking Nose net for ridden work and also when turned out. A suitable supplement and ive ordered some homeopathic meds too. She also has inhalors? So am I missing anything? Oh and vet on speed dial!

 

[Colleen_Miss_Tom]

Pm Rowreach, I believe she uses vaseline around the nostril openings .

 

[Cadfael&Coffee]

Mine gets pretty bad if I don't watch him, but I tend to find if I ride at all times with a nose net (as you can dee in my sig) then it's normally manageable until June time.
I use a full net as the half nets don't seem to work very well.

When it does start to affect him seriously I put him on ventipullmin, and that means we can carry on as normal. I usually use 3/4 of a tub each summer

Supplements- I'm afraid I've no clue cause I don't use them ATM

 

[Charlie007]

I will be starting my boy on his onions (for pollen) at the end of feb, so hopefully he will have built up a bit of resistence. I bought him a nose net to ride in but I find it annoys him more than helps. I have tried all manner of things and none seem to work!! I am hoping for a dry summer as he is worse when it has rained then the sun comes out! Good luck with yours x

 

[WelshRuby]

Used to start Rag's middle of February but can't remember what it was ?! Something homeopathic. Sorry

 

[Keltic]

Onions?? tell me more please!

 

[Shilasdair]

One of mine is allergic to either tree or oilseed rape pollen.
I don't do anything except sometimes give her low doses of NSAID, and spray Beconase (the human kind) 2 squirts in each nostril as she inhales, morning and night.
She doesn't mind it and it seems to help. There's also a newish celluslose nasal powder which I intended to try last summer, but it rained so much I didn't need it. Think it's called Nasalvet or something.
S

 

[Mrs B]

Could be Nostrilvet Shils? I tried it summer before last, but found it hard to apply. It's a fine white powder in an ordinary soft plastic bottle/container but I didn't find it easy to give a good 'blast' up each nostril, especially as the level of powder dropped.

I've tried most things but have found Nupafeed Magnesium calmer as good as anti-hystamines or steroids. My YO suggested it having read their website where people feeding it it for calmness found that, in several cases, it had a great impact on headshakers.

I guess I'll keep an eye on the weather etc, but probably start the loading dose end of Feb/beginning of March.

 

[juliette]

In my experience you need to start thinking about treating mid Feb.....


I can recommend Carl Hester Air Power supplement and the vapour rub. I also use a nose net and have started trying herbs which seem to be helping. He has Aniseed, Buckwheat, Comfrey and Marshmallow Leaf.

I would also recommend getting the back man out. Poll pressure was making my horse worse last year and one visit from the back man made a huge difference to the head shaking.

Turnout 24/7 also helps enormously, usually mid to end March in my case.

Rape makes my horse the worst, but all pollen does affect him.

With careful management last year i completely avoided the vet for this problem and the ventapulmin!

I tried Nostrilvet but didn't find it any use.

 

[Keltic]

Thanks guys, im thinking lots of different things to try. She doesnt head shake she pants like a dog!! Ive got some nasal vapour and a chest spray. She will be out 24/7 as soon as possible. Just need to get a nose net for riding in.

 

[itsmyparty]

We used Global Herbs' Pollen-ex to great effect last year for our boy who has an extreme reaction and head-shakes all day long without it. The previous year a nose net was enough to stop it but it got worse. We also use a Guardian face mask to minimise the UV light and that has helped too.