your horses health and stabling

[amandaco2]

im just curious what people do to help keep their horses healthy while they are in
i worry about my horses lungs!
so they get soaked/rinsed or steamed hay(in nets but am making haybars for them) and the stable gets a good clean down with disinfectant and brush off any dust etc once every 1-3 months
i do have to store my hay right outside 2 of the boxes as got no where else dry to keep it-was thinking about getting sheet to cover it try to reduce the dust?

last year 2 had a cough near the end of winter-not serious just like a dry cough so am trying to reduce any irritations this year.

 

[jewel]

what about feeding haylage instead?

 

[pixiebee]

dont brush cobwebs off, they catch alot of the dust!!

 

[Jellymoon]

I have to give haylage to one of mine who gets a cough on hay, even if it's soaked. I try to sweep the stables well and keep the dust at bay, but I've got them in ancient converted cow sheds, so it's hard! I dream of smart new Scotts stables....one day.

The other thing I'm careful about is not mucking out or bedding down with the horses in the box, I'll do it when they're out in the field, or if not, I'll tie them up outside. I also try not to groom them in the stables, unless absolutely necessary, best to do this in the open air too.

Other than that, I try to get them out in the fields as much as possible in the winter. Even if the weather is bad, they still go out in the day with big rugs on.

Even doing all this, one of mine will have still a couple of coughs after his morning gallop up the field (he charges off up the field when I turn him) but then I don't hear him do it again. Wish we had the climate where they could live out all year round!

 

[Damnation]

Soaking hay/hayledge is a good one to keep dust irratation down. Also they type of bedding you use is vital, shavings isn't as dust free as they say. Something like Megazorb has next to no dust in it. Everyday turnout is good so that they are out as much as possible. Also there are some very good suppliments out there that will help keep horses lungs clear.
Hope this helps

Izzi x