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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
   
Location: North Dakota | I noticed last year that when I haul my 2 horses, the one will have raspy "bubbly" breathing when we arrive at our destination. At first, it was only when it was chilly outside but this year, it seems to be happening more often even when it's not chilly. And now, it seems like he's still raspy the next day before it's gone.
They do not get hay in the trailer. I have a 3-horse slant load with mats, and I use these shavings so that if they pee the shavings will absorb it, and it won't splatter all over the place or corrode my trailer floor. I've been using these exact shavings for years so they aren't new.
Is there anything I can do for him? It's got to be trailer-related because he doesn't get raspy any other time. I could haul without the shavings (maybe the dust bothers him, even though they are low dust?) but then is there any other option to put something down for bedding?
I hate it when his breathing is raspy, not only for his health but then he probably doesn't run as hard when he feels that way!
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 316
| Have you pulled the mats out recently to wash them? Maybe there is mold or soemthing under there and that is getting to him? That is the only thing I can think of right now. Maybe try different shavings or the pellets for less dust once or twice and see if there is a difference.
If you do wash out your trailer make sure everything is completely dry before mats go down and keep the windows open at all times unless it may rain just to 'air' it out. |
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Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | I try to REALLY wash the trailer out once a year, and we just did it last fall when I was done with the trailer for the year. We take it to a car wash in town (that allows trailers) and we pulled up all the mats and pressure wash everything with soap. There was no mold or anything out of the ordinary on anything.
Yup, and the mats stay out for a few days until everything is DRY after we wash it.
Edited by r_beau 2015-04-14 11:35 AM
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 I'm Cooler Offline
Posts: 6387
 
Location: Pacific Northwest | I don't have a real explanation, but my horse with IAD has a hard time trailering. I use absolutely NOTHING in my trailer, no type of bedding at all and no one gets hay, and the slats are open in the back and I don't tie him so he can move his head however he wants. He still will usually cough or have a mucus-y sounding noise in his throat when I unload him. He does it in any kind of trailer...I have a two-horse thats similar to a stock trailer, and then we also have a 4-horse exiss where we just leave the vents/window screens open. It doesn't seem to matter how much or how little airflow he gets, it still happens. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 696
| Maybe he just has sensitive allergies and all of the air movement from traveling really gets to him? Sorry I really don't have many answers but bumping this back up for you a bit. Another alternative to the shavings is pellets like someone else mentioned. I don't use anything in my trailer either but everyone has their own ways of doing things. I have heard that pellets like these are really good and absorbent and that would help eliminate the shavings dust. http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/tractor-supply-coreg%3B-pine-... |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | My only thought would be dont put shaving's in your trailer, and have good air flow. |
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Duct Tape Bikini Girl
Posts: 2554
| Those shavings look like fine rather than large shavings. Try the large shavings. They don't have the shaving dust or any pieces small enough to fly around with airflow. |
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Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | I do have as good of airflow as I can on my trailer, whether permitting of course. If it happens to be really cold when I am hauling, I won't have all the windows open because I don't want -20*F wind on the horses. But if it's warm enough to have all the windows open, then I do, and of course if it's hot enough then the drop down windows are down completely. I just try to judge it based on the temperature so they are comfortable.
There isn't any sort of "breathing mesh" I can put over his nose to keep the particles out?? I've never seen such a thing so I don't know if it exists.
I'll have to try the pellet bedding instead and see if that helps.
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1100
Location: Southeastern Idaho | I had a gelding that really had issue with shavings in my enclosed horse trailer. Started hauling him in a stock combo with mats only, no shavings. Fixed the problem for him. |
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  Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | Id remove shavings.. with the air flow the dust particles probrably are flying around.. |
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 Sock eating dog owner
Posts: 4557
Location: Where the pavement ends and the West begins Utah | Don't use any shavings your horse is allergic to It. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| r_beau - 2015-04-14 3:34 PM
I do have as good of airflow as I can on my trailer, whether permitting of course. If it happens to be really cold when I am hauling, I won't have all the windows open because I don't want -20*F wind on the horses. But if it's warm enough to have all the windows open, then I do, and of course if it's hot enough then the drop down windows are down completely. I just try to judge it based on the temperature so they are comfortable.
There isn't any sort of "breathing mesh" I can put over his nose to keep the particles out?? I've never seen such a thing so I don't know if it exists.
I'll have to try the pellet bedding instead and see if that helps.
Have you had him scoped?
He may have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease where he cannot clear his airway effectively.
In the trailer do you have mangers, or do you tie his head up, if you have either this will contribute to unable to clear his airway, horses need to be able to put their head below their knees to clear their airway properly |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 417
Location: CA | Years ago I attended a Charmayne James clinic, and she was talking about the best way to haul your horses for maximum health, minimum stress. She said no shavings unless hauling for days at a time, such as hauling to multiple rodeos, when horses have no choice but to pee in the trailer. In those cases she recommended thoroughly wetting the shavings. Her next suggestion was maximum air flow. She said she wouldn't recommend closing the windows at all, and said to utilize blankets if weather was a concern. Lastly, she said to let them get their heads down. Horses absolutely need to get their heads down to keep their airways properly cleared, and if you feed in the trailer such as I do, you should feed on the ground as they need to eat with their heads down as well. |
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Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | Cheryl: He has not been scoped. I feel like if he had COPD that he would be having other troubles; not just the trailer?
I do not have mangers in my trailer, nor do they get any hay in the trailer. He is tied for safety reasons because I do not want him to put his head above or below the slant dividers. The ties aren't super short; he can probably get his head close to his knees, but he cannot put his head to the ground. The very farthest that I haul is about 3 hours, and that one is only a few times a year.
I'm going to try to find some pellet shavings for this weekend (which is the 3 hour trip) and clean out the other ones, and see what he sounds like when he gets down there. My vet will be there as well and I've already contacted her to see if she can peek at him.
I hesitate to not do any shavings in my trailer because I worry that I need something to absorb the pee (and both my horses will pee in the trailer) so that it's not getting to the floor of my trailer where it can sit there and corrode things.
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 Whack and Roll
Posts: 6342
Location: NE Texas | You can try making him a nose net out of panty hose. There are some videos on youtube that will show how to do it. I don't know that it will help, but it's worth a try. I don't put any shavings in my trailer either to keep the dust out. I just sweep it out and if they pee, they just get pee on them and then I wash it out. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| I would leave him free in the dividers and see if you have improvement.
If he is not able to clear his airway due to being tied up this may be your problem
I have hauled old and young horses in divisors never tie, and have never had a wreck. |
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Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | For now, I'll probably just try swapping out my shavings for pellets. If his breathing is better after this trailer ride, then I'll know that is the culprit.
If I also would let his head down (not tied) then it might be hard to figure out which one was the one that helped (if it helps at all).
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