There can be multiple reasons for a cough in your horse. A single cough may not be a problem, we also sometimes clear our throat without there being an issue. A passing dust cloud or a pellet of feed getting stuck can cause an occasional - harmless - cough in your horse. Also, when you start your training in cold weather, your horse may cough once, without you needing to worry immediately.

Take coughing seriously

Apart from the exceptions mentioned above, you don't really want your horse to cough. Coughing accompanied by a fever should always prompt a call to the vet. Also, nasal discharge that is yellow or greenish in color is a clear warning sign. Is your horse sluggish and lethargic or eating less? Are multiple horses in the barn coughing? All these things are cause to think about a virus or bacteria. Consult a vet in these cases.

Allergies cause coughing

If only one horse in the barn is coughing and that horse doesn't have a fever or yellow/green snot, then an allergy to dust and/or molds is more likely. Dust often contains molds, mold spores, and toxins (endotoxins) that can irritate the airways. This can lead to an inflammation in the bronchial tubes, where thick mucus is difficult for your horse to cough up. Airway constriction can also occur, with the contraction of the lung muscles causing breathlessness. Additionally, ammonia in a dirty or poorly ventilated stable can cause irritation to the airways or exacerbate allergy symptoms.

If your horse coughs when you start riding after it has been in the stable, but the coughing clears up quickly afterward, then an allergy is likely. For example, an allergy to dust or molds in hay. Such an allergy can eventually cause chronic respiratory problems. Chronic coughing can permanently damage the lungs. Chronic airway issues in horses are called equine asthma.

Does my horse have asthma?

You can recognize equine asthma by the heaving breath, or a belly that moves significantly. Stand diagonally behind your horse to see the flanks. The belly should move a bit, but a squeezing motion or breathing more than 14 times a minute at rest can indicate asthma. Wide nostrils and noise while breathing are also not good signs. Some horses even show the anus opening and closing with the 'heaving' of breathing. There are various medications available for asthma, but good stable management is also crucial.

Help, my horse is coughing!

What should you do if your horse is coughing? We give you ten practical tips.

Tip 1: Call the vet if you suspect an infection
If your horse is coughing and also has a fever or a yellow nasal discharge? Or are multiple horses coughing? Then an infection with a virus (like EHV or Influenza) may be the cause. Have your vet come to investigate and treat this.

Tip 2: Note when your horse coughs
If your horse has no nasal discharge and no fever and coughs mainly when you start riding after it has been in the stable for a few hours? Then a dust or hay allergy may be the cause.

Tip 3: Sufficient ventilation
Ensure adequate ventilation in the stable. Don't open everything up, as drafts are not pleasant for horses, but a slightly lower temperature is usually not a problem. So, especially ensure fresh air when the horses are in the stable.

Tip 4: Keep horses outside as much as possible
In general, it is good for horses that are sensitive to respiratory irritations to spend as much time outside as possible, in the fresh air. Even in winter.

Tip 5: Maintain your horse's immune system as best as possible
A healthy immune system is the best defense against respiratory infections. Ensure your horse gets enough exercise, eats healthily, and receives all necessary vitamins and minerals. You may also support its immunity with a semi-annual detox or a special supplement containing cannabinoids.

Tip 6: Prevent molds and dust in hay
Packaged hay often contains mold spores. Unpackaged hay can be dusty. To prevent your horse from inhaling dust or molds from its roughage, you can wet or steam the hay.

Tip 7: Use flax or wood shavings for bedding
Straw often contains a lot of dust and sometimes molds too. If your horse is sensitive to allergies, try keeping it on flax or coarse wood shavings. Fine sawdust is also dusty, so coarse wood shavings are more suitable.

Tip 8: Don't keep your horse indoors during dusty activities
Dusting, spreading bedding, and sweeping generate dust in the air. Therefore, do this when your horse is outside. Don't use a leaf blower in the barn aisle. Only bring your horse back inside when the stables are well ventilated and any dust has settled. This is usually after about two hours.

Tip 9: Keep the arena dust-free
Water the arena in time to prevent inhaling dust while riding.

Tip 10: Use a supplement that supports mucus production
In normal breathing, cilia in the lungs, together with existing mucus, filter out dust particles in the air. If the mucus becomes too thick and is no longer cleared by the cilia, problems arise and the horse starts coughing.

Conclusion: Take the right measures when dealing with a coughing horse

Coughing in horses can be caused by an infection with a virus or bacteria. In this case, you often see a runny nose and the horse may have a fever, be lethargic, or have a poor appetite. Another reason for coughing may be an allergy, to dust or mold in hay or straw. In that case, you must prevent it from becoming chronic. Chronic allergic respiratory problems are also referred to as equine asthma. If your horse is allergic to dust and/or molds, ensure good management with plenty of time outside, proper ventilation, and a stable that is not dusty. Consider feeding your horse steamed or soaked hay. You can support your horse's immune system with a detox or a supplement that supports the respiratory system.