Take a deep breath...
Haygain explains the importance of correct stable management to help keep your horse healthy and happy
AS A HORSE OWNER you cherish the bond you have with your equine friend. He may greet you each morning with a soft warm blow on your cheek, and you no doubt spend hours with him, listening to his soft breathing as he contentedly munches his hay. While that soft breathing is a comforting sound, you need to be aware that there are lots of triggers that can affect your horse’s respiratory health causing untold problems for all horses.
The equine respiratory system is built for transferring large volumes of air in and out of the lungs during exercise. It can be separated into two parts — the upper and lower airways. The upper airway begins at the nostrils, extends through the larynx and into the trachea. The lower airway includes the massive lungs, which extend from underneath the shoulder muscle up the back and close to the far end of the rib cage. A horse will normally take around 12 breaths per minute at rest, but during strenuous exercise he may take more than 100 breaths per minute.
One of the most common and preventable respiratory diseases suffered by horses is Inflammatory Airway Disease (IAD). This disease is adept at keeping itself hidden and many horses won’t show any outward signs, appearing bright and happy, and eating as normal. In many cases, the only indication is a small cough, combined with a reduction in athletic performance and slower recovery time.
To prevent IAD and other respiratory diseases, Haygain has put together a guide to help you reduce the risks and keep your horse happy and healthy.
Super stable management
Keeping your horse stabled for long periods of time is often unavoidable, especially during winter, but it can be extremely valuable for owners to take a step back and consider the whole stable environment. Floors and bedding
Forget deep litter and ill-fitting rubber mats. Hard rubber mats can make things worse as, if they’re not sealed, the urine can get under the mats where bacteria convert the urea in urine to ammonia. If you can smell ammonia in the stable, then it’s at a level that will irritate your horse’s airways.
The ideal is a sealed rubber floor with a built-in fall towards a drain or the door, making it easy to clean with a pressure washer or hose and brush. ComfortStall is a completely sealed flooring system that is easily kept clean so stables stay ammonia free. It may also encourage horses to spend more time lying down, which is essential for REM sleep. ComfortStall allows you to reduce the amount of dust-free, absorbent bedding you use too, which, in turn, reduces the amount of dust in the stable.
Don’t be tempted to muck out with your horse in the stable. Mucking out raises a tremendous amount of
respirable dust into the air that will hang around for at least 30 minutes. Make sure that all doors and windows are open when you muck out and wait at least half an hour before putting your horse back in his stable.
Ventilation
Keep windows and top doors open — horses with rugs on are perfectly able to cope with well-ventilated stables. The anxiety and concern over draughts is a human problem, not a horse one! Closing the top door of your stable and window for a single night may be enough to cause a significant respiratory problem in more susceptible horses.
Feeding
Choose a quality feed for your horse and feed from the floor. His forage should have a low level of respirable dust. Soaking hay has been shown to
reduce respirable dust, but it takes time and a 10-minute soak can actually increase the bacteria content of hay by 150%. Soaking reduces the nutritional value too, as water-soluble vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates are lost into the water. Tubs used for soaking also need regular cleaning or they run the risk of being unhygienic.
Steaming hay is a much better and cleaner option. Haygain’s steamer will significantly improve the hygienic quality of your hay by eliminating 99% of dust, bacteria, fungi and mould. It’s quick and simple to use and results in virtually no loss of nutrients. Available in different sizes, depending on how many horses you have, each one will ensure your hay is steamed to perfection.
Turnout
Time spent out of the stable reduces exposure to stable ‘dust’, and grazing will help clearance of material from your horse’s airways.
If you need to restrict your horse’s grazing, you can turn him out in a bare paddock with steamed hay fed from the f loor — this is still a beneficial way to maintain good respiratory health compared to stabling.
Disinfectants
Some owners use a disinfectant once a week when they give the stable a thorough clean-out, but be careful what you use and follow the instructions. Using certain disinfectants (such as Jeyes Fluid) in confined spaces like stables can damage horses’ airways.