How to protec horses from winter respitatory problems?
Horses respiratory problems during winter are common and some of them seem to get worse. The most frequent disorder during winter season is cold; both of bacterial or viral origin, characterized by sneezing, cough, nasal discharge and sometimes fever. Caring of horse’s respiratory system is fundamental because it affects its general health and especially for sport horses, it is essential to obtain excellent performances.
What are the causes of horses winter respitatory problems and why do they get worse with cold?
Excluding infectious diseases caused by cold weather exposure or transmitted by other horses, most horses winter respitatory problems worsen in winter because horses live longer indoors. The lairage increases, in fact, the risk of developing respiratory diseases compared to life in the open air due to the greater dust-concentration in indoor fields for training and in closed boxes. However, some advice can downsize the risks.
In box, in addition to providing a sufficient space for the horse general well-being, it is necessary to guarantee daily air change. Since stables and boxes cleaning increases dust in the air, it should be done when the horses are out. Furthermore, wetting surfaces is another small trick to lower dust.
In indoor fields, a quality design is fundamental: materials and structure of the soil should be suitable to reduce the development of dust and to favor air exchange naturally or using aeration systems. Moreover, reducing the number of horses at work at the same time, adequately wetting fields and allocating the use of the field in the morning hours, after a night without activity, to dust sensitive horses, are further useful precautions.
Two more items can develop dust: bedding and feed. Bedding must be quality since horses spent long time inside the boxes. In addition to the many features you should examine when choosing a good bedding, mostly liquids and odors absorbency and dust-free guarantee, the bedding should also respect horses’ respiratory system.
Regarding feed, hay and horse feed can generate dust when they are of poor quality, so it is necessary being able to detect a quality hay, (find out how) and choose feeds suitable for the horse’s needs also guaranteeing the dust absence. Wafer Fioc is the complete meal that guarantees the absence of dangerous dust: with its special compact cube shape, it reduces dust usually formed from poor quality ingredients or the presence of mold, fungus and toxins. Wafer Fioc ingredients are meticulously controlled though all the production steps. Moreover, the innovative and delicate process, guarantee the dust absence and the nutrients preservation, making Wafer Fioc the perfect meal even for dust-sensitive horses or with respiratory problems.
Even if the causes of dangerous dust development are many, choosing quality products and adopting the previous advice can support your horse welfare.