Now more than ever we are looking forward to getting out and about and enjoying our horses. Lessons, clinics and, yes, even competition are opening up again – and we can’t wait! However, it’s worth thinking about the challenges faced, particularly at this time of year. It’s vital to focus on how we can help our horses stay fit, and ready for the challenge ahead.
While we’re enjoying the longer days - and hopefully warmer weather - for those sensitive horses, Spring is not necessarily all good news. High pollen counts bring challenges that may be seen as respiratory stress,and create inconsistencies in your horse’s work.
It’s worth also being aware that respiratory problems often go unseen in horses, so look out for those subtle signs such as drops in stamina or poor performance. Studies in equine athletes have shown that sub-clinical respiratory stress is evident in over 80% of horses*, which may be linked to management, as well as environmental stress, such as pollen.
Therefore, whether signs of respiratory stress are evident, or it is simply that you wish to maintain your horses’ respiratory capacity to maximize their performance potential, we advise putting a clean air policy in place.
- Turn horses out as much as possible for access to fresh air. However, if pollen is recognized as an issue, you may find stabling during peak times, with turnout overnight, is preferable.
- Soak or steam to control dust and fungal spores, but take care not to over soak which can leach nutrients and impact on quality.
- Keep a weather and hacking diary, which can help identify the issues. For example, if one hacking route always elicits a response, then look out for blossoming trees, or crops such as bright yellow rapeseed along that way.
- Provide targeted supplementary support throughout the season.
NAF Five Star Respirator Boost comes with a Money Back Guarantee, so you can feed with confidence, to maintain the clearway to performance, fast.
NAF Five Star Respirator Boost provides naturally sourced powerful antioxidants, working in synergy with specific herbs for lung health, such as echinacea, eucalyptus and clove oil to maintain a clear way right through the competition season. Feed Respirator Boost daily, ideally mixed with a little warm water, and fed from the floor to encourage natural drainage.
* Fe.ter.Woort J.L; et al (2018) Histologic investigation of airway inflammation in postmortem lung samples from racehorses. American Journal of Veterinary Research: March 2018, 79(3) p.342-347
Written by Kate Hore RNutr(Animal). R.Anim.Technol.
