Equine asthma and other respiratory conditions affect a significant proportion of horses, causing chronic discomfort and limiting exercise capacity. Modern management strategies combine environmental modification with evidence-based medical treatment.
Respiratory disease in horses causes genuine, chronic suffering that is often normalized in equestrian settings. The sight of a horse coughing during exercise or showing nasal discharge is sometimes dismissed as inconsequential, but these are signs of an inflammatory airway condition causing constant low-grade discomfort. In severe cases, horses experience the equivalent of a persistent asthma attack — breathing with visible effort even at rest. Environmental management is the cornerstone of welfare improvement and is frequently more impactful than medication alone. Moving horses to pasture, eliminating hay from the stable environment, and using clean-air bedding like rubber matting or paper can transform respiratory health within weeks. Treatment without environmental change is largely futile, as the horse continues to be exposed to the triggers that maintain inflammation.