I am interested in hearing some feedback on this
issue as well.
My little mustang had a "breathing" attack
standing in his paddock some three years ago. The vet at that time merely
said he was heavey and put him on Azium for a few days. He said once they
have an attack , they are prone to it and to call if it continued. It
didn't......until maybe 3 years later.....We had a couple of different episodes
which I nipped in the bud with the Azium. I had the vet come out and
rather than put us through extensive testing (I had just spent $5500 on a mare
which we ended up losing!), she put him on 2 cc of Dex a day for his extreme
itchies he gets every summer (nothing else was helping) with the thought that it
might assist with these mild attacks. He has improved....but although he
was on the Dex, he had 3 good attacks of coughing and heavy breathing.....I was
trying to pattern it with the weather, humidity, pollen, etc. and I am now
beginning to think it is when I strip his stall.......My horses currently have a
run-in which I keep with shavings......I just read in one of the articles that
urine could bring on an attack....I was thinking mold....and they LOVE to use it
as their bathroom...so consequently urine does get stirred up when I strip the
stall.....yet it doesn't happen every time..and doesn't happen in the
winter.......I have been riding him lightly and for an unfit horse, his
p&r's come down pretty quickly....and we've only had one episode of coughing
on the trail.....Their living conditions could have a LOT to do with their
breathing ailments.... In any event, we have just put him on Ventapulmin, very
expensive and new to me.....which we are going to try for a while......but I am
also looking to hear feedback from others...... I also learned that "heavey"
pretty much describes any breathing problems the same as "colic" is used for
many......So, if I don't get some results, he will have to be scoped to actually
determine exactly if there is a physical cause...
As far as conditioning?......Although I don't
recently do any distance riding, I still "train" the same way....(is there any
other way?)....... and I will continue to until I see problems..... I do
believe many cases of "heaves" can be treated and the horses may continue to be
used.....depends on the individual situation I think.... but long
distance/endurance riding could be an extreme......
Hello all. I am sure this has come up before. I have recently started
doing Ride and Ties and love it. WOuld also like to do some Endurance rides.
Very unexperienced as far as conditioning my horse. I am starting to suspect
she has COPD. Heave lines are starting to develop. Any other good clues. I
have a vet appt for the 20th to get a diagnosis. Am supposed to do a 20 mile
R&T this Sat. May not be able to as she developed some lameness in her
front on Monay that is still there. I live in an area where there are no
endurance riding enthusiasts for about 60 miles. Hard to find mentoring. I
guess my two question are....can a horse have COPD and compete in endurance
events? Are there any really good schedules to follow for conditioning?
Thanks!
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