Equine asthma and other respiratory conditions cause significant welfare harm in horses exposed to dusty hay and poor stable ventilation, and are largely preventable through evidence-based management practices.
Equine asthma is a welfare condition that is substantially self-inflicted by management practices that prioritize convenience over respiratory health. The standard practice of feeding dry hay in enclosed stables creates dust environments that directly cause progressive respiratory disease in susceptible horses. Horses with equine asthma experience dyspnea — difficulty breathing — that ranges from exercise-induced breathlessness in mild cases to continuous effort at rest in severe cases. The welfare harm of chronic respiratory difficulty is significant and often underappreciated because horses continue to eat and maintain body condition despite significant respiratory compromise. Environmental management — wet hay, maximized ventilation, outdoor living — is more effective than medication in managing equine asthma because it addresses causation rather than symptoms. Medication provides necessary welfare relief for acutely affected horses while environmental changes take effect.