Respiratory disease is a leading welfare concern in horses; stable management practices significantly influence lung health and the risk of equine asthma.
Equine respiratory health is profoundly shaped by management decisions. Traditional closed or poorly ventilated stables accumulate ammonia, dust, mold, and endotoxins at concentrations that chronically irritate airways. Horses with equine asthma show increased respiratory effort, coughing, exercise intolerance, and in severe cases, life-threatening bronchospasm. The most effective management interventions are ventilation improvement, switching to low-dust bedding (cardboard, rubber matting, or well-composted shavings), and soaking or steaming forage. Turnout — time outdoors in fresh air — is the single most beneficial change for affected horses.