Coughing, could it be dust?

[shalakominiatureshowhorses]

I was watching videos on how to feed a horse (not that I don't know how,just like those kind of videos)

And it was saying that feeding a horse hay on a very dusty floor can cause them to cough. I feed them hay on the ground because my horses just throw the hay out of their huge grain buckets anyway. But could this be a cause? My boys have been coughing lately. They aren't sick, no runny noses, nothing coming up or anything, they are just coughing. If I put bowls with hay in them in their stalls, they just throw them around at night. I don't have enough hay feeders either, but is that something worth investing in if that's the problem? I'm going to try to talk to my vet tomorrow, but I'm pretty sure that the dirt is the cause, plus it's really dry here in Texas.

 

[Minimor]

If they are eating off the ground and the ground is dry/dusty (and if there is loose dirt) then yes that could cause the coughing.

I feed mine on the ground but never on loose dirt--I pick areas where there is some grass growing.

 

[shalakominiatureshowhorses]

I used to water it down, but not anymore, should I do that? Would that work? If it would, i will try, I dont get back home untill their feeding time hardly.

 

[Sandi J.]

watering down the hay can help the overall dust intake...I fed my horses (I don't have minis yet) on stall mats that I sweep before feeding...if you didn't want to invest in stall mats, you could probably use a tarp (unless it is in a windy area)...sand colic is a huge problem where I live, so keeping them away from eating off dirt is a must...

 

[shalakominiatureshowhorses]

My horses destroy stall mats, so that's a no. I think I'll just start I watering down the stalls again...thanks guys!!!

 

[Lil Eowyn]

My horses all just got over a little sick season. It started out with Donny--he had a gooey eye, and then Peanut got pink eye, a cough, and a runny noes. Which spread to all five horses. Soon after, I got pink eye (Did I get it from the horses? idk but that would be weird!) and soon half of my family got pink eye and it spread to some families from church! All because of one horse that got into some bad hay....I was planning on getting the moldy hay out of the pasture but I didn't till the next day--you reap what you sow I guess! lol So yeah, My Dad's horse Sweetheart gets coughs easily and its because of dusty hay--if you stall a horse, I would get a hay net and tie it in the stall. Or for my mini outside I tie the hay net to the shed. For the big horses they have round bales with a round feeder =) If your hay is still dusty in a net then you could try soaking it in water first before feeding it. But I never really had that problem =)

 

[Marty]

My horses eat hay off the floor in the stalls so its in the natual grazing position. I am for the mats under the feed buckets but they do drag it all over the place. I do not like hay feeders or nets. I also feed them hay outside on the ground.At times it does get dusty but not enough to cause coughing. Try de-worming. Lung worms causes coughing.