Respiratory physiotherapy techniques help horses clear airway secretions and improve breathing. Understanding these techniques supports welfare management of respiratory disease.
Respiratory disease causes significant welfare harm through breathing difficulty, effort of breathing, and the discomfort of retained airway secretions. Physiotherapy techniques that support secretion clearance reduce the mechanical burden on affected airways and improve oxygenation. Horses that can breathe more easily show reduced respiratory effort, improved demeanor, and better exercise tolerance. The welfare benefit of physiotherapy is complementary to pharmaceutical management, addressing the mechanical aspects of disease alongside the inflammatory and pharmacological dimensions. Regular monitoring of breathing effort provides early warning of deteriorating respiratory welfare.