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 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
  
| I have a gelding who is doing a bit of weird coughing. It's the beginning of his legging up season, been off since Oct. with occasional riding (lucky to be 2 times per month) over the winter.
Here lately he's been a beast to catch (normal) and has been running around, as well as being chased by his mad owner! He runs, trots, bucks, kicks, etc from 5 to 25 minutes depending on how much time I have and if I have treats. Snorts, blows, etc. NO COUGH.
After catching him and riding him around, we start to trot and he Coughs. Hard, to the point I stop him to let him finish. Coughs 2 or 3 times. Then he snorts/blows/relaxes and never coughs again.
Why can he run around like a banshee and not cough, but coughs when I get on him? Do you think he tenses up that much at first, even warmed up? |
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 It's not my fault I'm perfect
Posts: 13739
  
Location: Where the long tails flow, ND | Is it a dry cough or a more wet cough? Does he have any discharge? Horses are weird....no denying that! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1079
| my gelding has been doing the exact EXACT same thing. Healthy as can be, NEVER EVER EVER hear him cough during the day. Get on, walk him out, etc.. start to trot and he will cough just a few times, snort it out and be done. Doesn't cough again rest of ride.
No mucus, no discharge, bright eyes, but he has did it last summer too and I figured he'd be over it by now (had winter off) but I think hes still doing it. Going to mention to vet when he sees him for spring stuff. |
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It's not my fault I'm perfect
Posts: 13739
Location: Where the long tails flow, ND | I had a mare that had allergies that I use Cur-OST with. And I have an old gelding (24) that has always had a 'warm up' cough, FOREVER. I started him on the Cur-OST Plus formula since he is old and his cough dissapeared.... 
It really is great stuff!  |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 672
| Are you riding him in an arena or outside in a pasture? I could understand if he's fine running outside on grass/pasture and starts coughing once a little bit of dust starts floating up... |
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 Expert
Posts: 1857
| Had the same thing, at the beginning of the ride 1-2 coughs and then never again the rest of the ride. Turned out he has a heart murmur. He's still being worked but they are monitoring it and I take him in for an EKG once a year to check for any changes, enlargement, etc. |
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Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| veintiocho - 2016-03-09 8:48 AM Are you riding him in an arena or outside in a pasture? I could understand if he's fine running outside on grass/pasture and starts coughing once a little bit of dust starts floating up...
He's rode in the same area that he lives in. It's 1/2 grass (sort of) and 1/2 dirt. Basically a dry lot. It's pretty much dirt at the moment after winter. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 889
| I can relate to all stories. My vet suggested Cough Free by Farnam. It's an herbal supplement. Inexpensive and has seemed to help. It can be used for stable cough, colds, heaves, etc... |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| Went through the same last year and ended up being allergies in mine. We went from alfalfa to grass hay and it got very bad, that was when we tested. We've adjusted his diet and have been doing allergy shots, very affordable, and no coughing and we've been able to go back to grass hay so far with no issues. He'll start back to work next week and I'll know more then. |
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Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| OhMax - 2016-03-09 11:29 AM Went through the same last year and ended up being allergies in mine. We went from alfalfa to grass hay and it got very bad, that was when we tested. We've adjusted his diet and have been doing allergy shots, very affordable, and no coughing and we've been able to go back to grass hay so far with no issues. He'll start back to work next week and I'll know more then.
I was wondering about allergies. :/ But he's not snotty. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1482
Location: on my horse | my mare was like that, mild form of COPD. I started soaking her hay or at least spraying it down before I fed and her cough is gone now. I didn't think my hay was dusty enough to affect her like that but my vet said any hay that a horse is eating out of either a closed (large or small) container or a bag above their head where particles get in their nasal passages can make them cough. She's ten this year and was fine up until last year so I guess it just takes time to build up in their systems. Theory on why he only coughs under saddle is they are working in a different way, carrying out weight etc. Plus with your guy he may be more irritated after his run and when you ask him to increase his respiration rate again the irritation becomes visible in the form of a cough.
Just my random theory! Maybe try spraying down his chow for a few days and see if that helps? |
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It's not my fault I'm perfect
Posts: 13739
Location: Where the long tails flow, ND | Nateracer - 2016-03-09 12:03 PM OhMax - 2016-03-09 11:29 AM Went through the same last year and ended up being allergies in mine. We went from alfalfa to grass hay and it got very bad, that was when we tested. We've adjusted his diet and have been doing allergy shots, very affordable, and no coughing and we've been able to go back to grass hay so far with no issues. He'll start back to work next week and I'll know more then. I was wondering about allergies. :/ But he's not snotty.
My mare never was snotty or had any drainage when she was diagnosed with allergies. She was on the shots as well after I got her allergy tested. I eliminated all that by going to Cur-Ost and she is healthier and happier than ever.
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 Crazy Doggy Mommy
Posts: 1419
Location: Where Governor's make the liscense plates | Could definitely be allergies. My friends mustang has developed allergies and she coughs HARD even farts at the same time. She only does it a few times at first when riding then settles down. She's on dexamethasone and now allergy shots since she was tested. |
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  Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | It can also be weird as it sounds.. when the horse is bridled up and being ridden the neck and esphogus is differant angle and it maybe blocking airway.. due to inflammation which could be allergies.. is it always or just when hes collected up a bit.. in pasture they run pretty freed up.. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1117
Location: MI | SmokinGirlie - 2016-03-09 9:30 AM I had a mare that had allergies that I use Cur-OST with. And I have an old gelding (24) that has always had a 'warm up' cough, FOREVER. I started him on the Cur-OST Plus formula since he is old and his cough dissapeared....
It really is great stuff!
I was reading through the different choices and see that the only one that specifically mentions allergies is the Total Support - is this the one you used on your mare? With your older gelding that you used Plus on, you felt that it took care of the cough really well? (I see the Plus is $35 cheaper so I'm curious haha)
Trying to decide between the two.. my mare will sometimes have that 'warm up' cough also - one or two coughs. We haven't started riding yet this spring but she's coughed a few times in the morning lately- I'm thinking allergies but not 100% sure. Can't take her to get allergy tested at the moment so was thinking of trying the Cur-OST and see if that fixes it. |
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Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| Bibliafarm - 2016-03-09 9:57 PM It can also be weird as it sounds.. when the horse is bridled up and being ridden the neck and esphogus is differant angle and it maybe blocking airway.. due to inflammation which could be allergies.. is it always or just when hes collected up a bit.. in pasture they run pretty freed up..
I usually don't collect him that much, but I would say he carries himself differently than when he's being a nut. He has form, but he's not in any shape or form ready for a pleasure class or the dressage ring. :) |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| Mine was never snotty either, rarely coughed any time other than riding until we switched hay and it got really bad. Prior to the bay switch we think the small % of grass in our hay plus the roughage in the pellet we were feeding him was enough to do it.
I can't wait to start him back into work and see how he does this year |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | Op i sent you a pm....m |
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