Respiratory disease is a leading cause of poor performance and suffering in horses, and much of it is directly caused by management practices within our control.
Horses evolved as open-range animals breathing clean air. Intensive stabling exposes them to ammonia from urine, mold spores, and organic dust at levels that cause chronic airway inflammation. Many performance horses suffer subclinical respiratory disease that limits their breathing without obvious clinical signs. Welfare-conscious management prioritizes maximum turnout, excellent stable ventilation, low-dust bedding, and processed forage where needed — interventions that are often cost-effective compared to veterinary treatment.