bleeding and breathing programs - feed

Question
hello ma'am, what fodder and forage to feed horses that are likely to suffer from bleeding and breathing problems?

Answer
Hello Rohit,

Thank you for your question.  Bleeding in horses (bleeding from nose) is seldom caused by feed or nutrition, but rather is caused by a variety of medical conditions.  There is little you can do from a nutrition standpoint to remedy bleeding in racehorses.  

Breathing disorders, strained or restricted respiration, can be a function of feed quality where dusty and/or moldy feeds can cause the heaves or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.  The damage done to the respiratory tract by dusty or moldy feeds is irreversible and difficulty breathing can continue to deteriorate even once feed quality is improved.  So it is important to ensure that any ingredient you choose to feed your horse is free of both dust and mold.  It's not the type of feed that causes a problem, its the quality of the feed.

Keep in mind that a dusty environment can also cause respiratory disorders in horses.  Ensuring indoor spaces are properly ventilated and minimizing dust in the air will also prevent difficulty breathing in your horses.

Thanks, Corlena