How stable air quality affects respiratory health and welfare in horses, and practical strategies for creating better breathing environments.
Stable air quality is a largely invisible but significant source of chronic respiratory suffering in horses. Horses evolved outdoors in clean air, and confinement in poorly ventilated stables with dusty bedding and hay exposes their respiratory systems to chronic irritant challenge that causes inflammation, airway remodeling, and reduced respiratory capacity. The welfare consequences range from mild inflammatory airway disease with subtle performance effects to severe heaves causing obvious respiratory distress at rest. The good news is that air quality improvements are available and effective — soaking or steaming hay, switching to dust-free bedding, and ensuring adequate ventilation are all achievable management changes. Maximizing outdoor time on grass pasture addresses respiratory health most comprehensively by removing horses from the stable environment entirely.