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Kaydence Sports Medicine & Rehab, 12635 County Road 130, Carthage, MO (2026)

06/05/2026

Keeping the School Horse Sound and Healthy

How do you preserve your school horses’ health, soundness, and well-being long-term? This difficult question challenges every good horseman, says Jesslyn Bryk-Lucy, DVM, cAVCA, professor of equine studies and resident veterinarian at Centenary University, in Long Valley, New Jersey, where she manages the daily medical needs of the school’s approximately 85-horse herd.

Riding school owners like Nina Leeds, who runs Manor Hill Farm in Nicholson, Pennsylvania, constantly face the challenge of balancing their ponies’ and horses’ health and welfare with the financial pressures of their business. “You must do right by your equine employees,” she says.

Let’s take a closer look at the challenges and unique needs of riding school mounts.

School Horses’ Unique Challenges
Unlike a privately owned pleasure horse that’s not expected to pay for himself, school horses must earn their keep, generating enough income to cover their own care. But despite widespread stigma, a riding school job doesn’t necessarily equal subpar access to equine health care. In Bryk-Lucy’s collegiate program, where horses train and compete in the hunter/jumper and dressage disciplines, these equine professors have access to top-of-the-line care—a prime example being regular chiropractic and acupuncture treatments.

Nonetheless, these animals deal with stressors specific to their school horse status. “Inconsistency of riders is undoubtedly the biggest challenge,” Leeds admits. “These individuals must be forgiving and adaptable. Most of the time their student riders are still working on the basics and, as a result, may unintentionally sit crooked, add more pressure to one rein than another, etc.,” she says. “This can be habit-forming for the horses, causing them to travel incorrectly and creating compensatory pain over time.”

Adding to the challenge, she says, most ponies get ridden by children of varying skill levels because small, light, and experienced adult riders are hard to find.

Different Jobs, Similar Needs
Despite their occupational challenges, school horses have the same physiological needs as any other horse. “I manage the 85 school horses like any privately owned horse in my ambulatory practice,” says Bryk-Lucy, who also owns Leg Up Equine Veterinary Services in northern New Jersey. “The issues that I often have to manage—arthritis, sore backs, chronic soft tissue injuries, navicular syndrome, etc.—are the same pathologies (disease/damage) I see in private practice.”

Starting with the basics, school horses need suitable forage-based nutrition, sufficient turnout, proper grooming, regular dentistry and hoof care, and appropriate vaccination and deworming. In 2021 Bryk-Lucy’s then-student Abigail Reilly found that university horses turned out for at least 12 hours a day had a 25% lower incidence of soft tissue injuries than those turned out for less time1. Researchers on a French study looking at 184 school horses found housing had the biggest impact on the animals’ emotionality level, a factor affecting their suitability to teach riders of varying levels2. The data underscore the importance of species-appropriate care, including turnout and social contact for school horses.

Recognizing Signs of Pain in School Horses
Many school horses are hardy and stoic, making it easy to overlook signs of distress and discomfort. Pain can also manifest in subtle ways, which is why Bryk-Lucy relies on the staff and students to alert her to any potential issue with a university-owned horse. In her experience, early detection can have a significant positive effect on the horse’s recovery.

“Some common complaints that prompt an exam are an evasive response suggesting back soreness when being brushed, crabbiness when grooming and tacking, mounting block issues, reluctance to move forward, refusing jumps, favoring a lead, swapping (leads) before a jump, missing a lead change, running on the landing of a jump, tripping, etc.,” she says.

“In our lesson program we try to rule out pain as a cause of the behavior before classifying that behavior as a training issue,” she adds. In another study, the same French authors mentioned earlier found school horses were less likely to exhibit back disorders if managed by attentive caretakers who tend to overevaluate potential back pain

Essentially, scientists have shown attention to subtle changes in horses’ demeanors and getting the vet involved early pays off.

Limitations And Expectations
“Like most riding school programs, we have quite a few ponies that come to us as a step-down job from their competition careers with preexisting limitations,” Leeds says. She credits their long-term success to resisting the urge to push these schoolmasters when they are seemingly going so well.

“If our veterinarian has advised us that a pony should be used for flatwork only, not be longed, etc., there are no exceptions for us,” she adds. “It’s tempting when you are in a pinch, but ultimately pushing them past what is advisable, even as a once-in-a-while exception to the rule, can be detrimental to the goal of a long, productive career.”

Leeds says she’s found that teaching true horsemanship helps minimize wear on her ponies while still allowing her to run a large, successful program. Here again, setting expectations and prioritizing horse welfare remain key. “My students do not expect to jump every day, jump huge fences, or ride in extreme temperatures,” she says. “Our goal is to teach them that the animal must always come first. In turn, we can provide a more realistic workload for the lesson ponies.”

Further, Leeds emphasizes correct flatwork and small jumps with more technical exercises, and she turns to activities such as groundwork sessions and trail rides on extremely hot or cold days. For both their physical and mental well-being, she’s found it helpful to introduce variety in school horses’ work while limiting longe-line lessons because repeatedly traveling in circles adds strain to the musculoskeletal system.

Money Matters
The stakes are high for the barn owner who depends on lesson income to feed and care for all her in-work, laid-up, and retired school horses and pay for and maintain the property. In France students often purchase an annual riding school pass with a fee to fund the school horses’ retirements. In the U.S. some establishments are switching from a no-commitment pay-per-lesson billing method to a semester-long subscription system, eliminating the sometimes devastating unpredictability of fluctuating monthly income. Some early adopters of the practice point out that school horses need to eat regardless of whether students attend their scheduled sessions.

We turned to Bryk-Lucy to describe the common physical limitations of school horses. “Beyond soft tissue and joint injuries, I see a lot of back soreness,” she says, pointing out that these animals typically carry different saddles and riders daily. Under her care university horses with chronic back pain get their own saddles. The rest get time off, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as phenylbutazone (Bute) or firocoxib, methocarbamol (a muscle relaxer), acupuncture, and chiropractic care. “These individuals usually return to work and are monitored and managed closely,” she says. However, if one needs shock wave therapy or regenerative therapies, she must refer to an outside practice, which she says isn’t always cost-effective for such a large herd.

Beyond her own expectations, Bryk-Lucy must also manage those of the faculty, staff, and students. “The reality is these donated horses are on their second or third career; they may come to us with a stiff hind end, good and bad days, etc.,” she says. As long as horses are comfortable and willing to work,and the slight gait abnormality (also called a mechanical lameness) does not worsen, she allows them to keep doing their job.

“I prepare the faculty, staff, and students to expect these individual variations in certain horses and educate them on what to look for to identify a new or worsening condition,” she says. There’s an upside, though. “Sometimes soundness issues in a low-level riding program are not as limiting as they once were on the show circuit because the horses are doing an easier job, and then I don’t have to manage anything!”

What Makes or Breaks School Horse Soundness
Bryk-Lucy says some of the big considerations that affect school horses’ ability to stay sound for the long haul include:
* Limiting rider weight to no more than 20% of the school horse’s body weight, because researchers have found exceeding this can temporarily cause lameness5.
* Maintaining fitness. Researchers have shown hippotherapy horses better tolerate heavier riders when fi tter6. “Fit horses are better able to handle their workload and less likely to sustain a soft tissue injury,” Bryk-Lucy says. “Some of our university horses are off for the summer and winter breaks. We are very careful and strategic with their return to work to ensure they are fi t enough for the first intercollegiate horse show, generally four to six weeks after the start of the semester.”
* Imposing limits on how often and how high horses jump. In a 2010 study of eight school horses, researchers in the Netherlands confirmed via blood tests what professionals already knew—jumping, even at a low level, significantly increases workload compared to cantering the same distance and speed without jumps7.
* Scheduling lessons so school horses have rest days and time off to recover. In 2023 researchers published data suggesting that following an increase in work hours, school horses show a greater degree of behaviors that can be interpreted as either fatigue or discomfort using the Horse Grimace Scale (HGS)8. Trainers must provide proper recuperation time to support career longevity.
* Choosing the appropriate level for use in a riding program, considering previous injuries, age, soundness, and suitability. “The horses that successfully work for a long time start at upper levels and slowly teach less experienced riders as they age (and need to step down),” Bryk-Lucy says. “These horses can continue to earn their keep as they age gracefully, fulfilling multiple roles as their career progresses.”
* Keeping up with maintenance as needed and addressing health and soundness issues early. At Manor Hill Leeds’ vet evaluates her ponies at least twice a year when it’s spring and fall vaccination time.

Leeds has found workload to be the most significant factor affecting a school horse’s career longevity. “Overloading an individual with a jampacked schedule risks leaving them physically sore and mentally burnt out,” she says. “Being realistic about how many students you can take with your current lesson stock is important,” she adds, tying back to the importance of keeping expectations in check.

“Pushing your lesson horses beyond reasonable risks harms both your animals and your means of making an income, potentially resulting in horses needing significant downtime and incurring vet bills,” she adds. To find the right balance, she grew her program gradually, accepting more students only as she could find more ponies to join her team.

Final Thoughts on School Horse Soundness
People say good school horses—reliable, adaptable, forgiving, and sure-footed—are worth their weight in gold. Our sources establish a few truths about the noble fourlegged teachers in riding schools: They need to earn their keep. They are athletes and should be treated accordingly, and they face unique challenges tied to their occupation. Ultimately, school horses form the foundation of our equestrian sport and deserve our commitment to a lifetime of care.

The Horse

06/01/2026

Strategic Deworming Schedules for Horses

The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) recommendations for deworming horses have changed substantially over the years, with the current emphasis on strategic targeting (treating certain horses) rather than the outdated rotation-based treatment of all horses at a facility.

“The primary objective of managing parasites in horses (as well as other equids) is to minimize parasite infections, ensuring the well-being of the animals and preventing the onset of clinical illness,” says Jonathan Yardley, DVM, associate professor of clinical equine field services at The Ohio State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, in Columbus. Of the internal parasites found in adult (over 18 months of age) horses, the most damaging and potentially fatal for the horse are large strongyles (bloodworms), small strongyles (cyathostomes) and tapeworms. Other intestinal parasites include pinworms, threadworms, stomach worms and lung worms. In foals less than 1 year old, ascarids (roundworms) are the most problematic. “It’s worth noting that adult horses develop immunity to ascarids, making this less of a concern in older horses,” says Yardley.

The Life Cycle of Internal Parasites in Horses
The life cycle of most equine internal parasites includes egg, larval, and adult stages. In general, the horse eliminates parasite eggs in the manure, depositing them onto the ground. The larvae develop in eggs and might hatch out, depending on the species, which allows the horse to ingest the parasite’s infective stage. The larvae then develop into adults within the gastrointestinal tract of the horse, with some parasite species migrating throughout the horse’s various organ systems as developing larvae before completing their life cycles.

Previous Equine Deworming Practices
In the past, owners dewormed their horses every four to eight weeks to treat them for any possible intestinal parasites, but more recent research shows this practice leads to parasite resistance. Scientists predicted resistance to horse dewormers (anthelmintics) a long time ago, says Antoinette Marsh, PhD, associate professor and service head at Ohio State’s Veterinary Medical Center Diagnostic Parasitology Lab. “(Because) roundworms, small strongyles, and tapeworms reproduce quite rapidly and display high fecundity (the ability to produce a large number of offspring), the opportunity for genetic change significantly increases,” she says. “The presence of viable, reproducing worms remaining after any deworming gives surviving worms an advantage to reproduce as compared to nonresistant worms no longer around.”

The greater the deworming frequency, the faster resistance develops and, once this resistance occurs, it is not reversable, Marsh says. One parasite generation can pass drug resistance or susceptibility to the next, creating more resistant parasites over time if all the anthelmintic-susceptible parasites are killed off.

Updated Equine Deworming Practices
Current deworming practices involve only treating the horses that need it the most (young horses and those with a heavy parasite burden) to slow the rate of parasite resistance development by maintaining a population of nonresistant parasites in the horses that are not receiving any deworming treatment.

“By leaving some drug-susceptible worms behind to mate or reproduce with drug-resistant worms, the drug-resistant genes in the worms can be diluted out when examining the parasite population as a whole,” says Marsh. This nonresistant, untreated population is called refugia and is key to the success of current strategic deworming practices. The refugia will shed eggs containing the nonresistant genetic code into the environment and, over time, this will help dilute the drug-resistant parasite population.

Because tapeworms are difficult to identify in f***l examinations, horses should be dewormed for tapeworms biannually or annually with a product containing praziquantel, says Marsh.

Safe Deworming Practices for Adult Horses
“It’s important to note that the aim is not the complete elimination of all parasites within a specific individual,” says Yardley. “Pursuing total eradication is not only unattainable but also leads to the accelerated emergence of drug-resistant parasites.”

Because a heavy burden of internal parasites can cause weight loss, rough hair coats, poor performance, diarrhea, and colic in horses, the deworming plan should target maintaining the health of the horse and prevention of drug-resistant parasites. “F***l egg counts (FECs) are useful to determine the magnitude of egg shedding of an individual horse and the level of pasture contamination,” says Marsh.

After a FEC veterinarians categorize horses as nonshedders (no eggs seen), low shedders (usually less than 150 eggs per gram (EPG), moderate shedders (usually 150-500 EPG), or high shedders (usually more than 500 EPG). The FEC allows veterinarians to more clearly identify horses with consistently higher parasite egg counts. These horses are most likely to show signs of parasitism, such as weight loss, dull coat, or pot belly, and pass large numbers of infective eggs into the environment.

Veterinarians select dewormers based on the FEC results, the horse’s age, and the type of parasite identified or suspected. Repeating the FEC 12-14 days after deworming provides information on the effectiveness of the dewormer used, says Marsh. “The (repeat) test is referred to as a f***l egg count reduction test (FECRT). Essentially, do an FEC, deworm, repeat the FEC, and then use a formula to determine the treatment efficacy. When there is a 95% or greater reduction in parasite egg number in the f***s, then that dewormer is still quite effective.”

Deworming Foals
While strategic targeting works well in adult horses, owners should take a different deworming approach for foals (under 1 year of age), says Yardley. “Younger horses, due to their developing immune systems, should be treated as high shedders from birth to 2 years of age,” he explains. “Typically, high shedders require deworming every four months with a crucial assessment of their status through a f***l egg count.” Foals aged zero through 6 months are especially vulnerable, having a higher population of roundworms in their intestines, he adds. “It’s noteworthy that these roundworms can migrate from the small intestine to the liver and then to the lungs of the foal, potentially leading to clinical signs resembling pneumonia. First deworming should be carried out at about 2-3 months of age, and a benzimidazole drug is recommended to ensure efficacy against ascarids. Second deworming is recommended just before weaning (approximately 4-6 months of age).” Using ivermectin in young foals can be fatal if they have a heavy burden of adult roundworms in their small intestine, says Yardley, so it is important to have an FEC in a young foal before using ivermectin.

Take-Home Message
Most horses do not need to be dewormed as frequently as researchers previously thought. The new equine deworming protocol allows veterinarians and horse owners to tailor the deworming program to each horse. Individualizing deworming strategies can minimize parasite contamination of the environment, improve the horse’s overall health, and limit parasite resistance.

05/30/2026

Running Loose: Tackling Chronic Diarrhea in Horses

Chronic diarrhea in horses can be a frustrating, elusive challenge for owners and veterinarians alike. Typically characterized by the continuous or intermittent passage of soft, watery f***s, diarrhea can be linked to underlying colonic abnormalities that lead to intermittent colic (abdominal pain) and an overall decline in body condition, health, and welfare.

Amy Stewart, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM-LA, assistant teaching professor at the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, in Raleigh, reviewed the most up-to-date guidelines for investigating equine diarrhea cases at the 2026 Veterinary Meeting and Expo, held Jan. 17-21, in Orlando, Florida.

Chronic Diarrhea in Horses: What It Is, and What It Isn’t
Stewart established that clinical signs of diarrhea in horses vary widely, from a f***s-stained, dirty tail to intermittent colic, sudden weight loss, or periods of reduced appetite. “Evaluating severity can be difficult, as the equine colon’s efficient water resorption can mask ongoing disease,” she said. “I recommend investigating all possible causes rather than assuming a benign ‘f***l water syndrome’ (FWS), particularly if there are additional signs of ill health.”

F***l Water Syndrome and The Role of the Microbiome
“F***l water syndrome affects apparently healthy horses that exhibit intermittent leakage of water before, sometimes during, and/or after passing otherwise normal f***s,” Stewart explained.

Researchers have highlighted the complexity of the equine gut microbiome; both disease and medication can disrupt microbial populations therein, potentially leading to persistent FWS. However, they do not yet know a definitive cause. Additional factors associated with FWS might include stress, dietary imbalance, or types of fiber in the diet. To diagnose f***l water syndrome, Stewart said veterinarians must first exclude underlying causes of true diarrhea.

Causes of Diarrhea in Horses
Diarrhea in horses can be infectious or noninfectious. Common infectious causes include internal parasites—most commonly cyathostomes (small strongyles)—and bacteria such as Salmonella and Clostridium difficile.

“Diagnosing parasitism can be especially challenging when parasites encyst within the colon wall; f***l egg counts (FEC) may not reflect true parasite load,” Stewart said. “And while advanced tests, including serum ELISA for strongyles, show promise, they are not yet standard in the U.S.”

She added that bacterial causes, particularly in chronic Salmonella carriers, can also be difficult to pinpoint due to intermittent and low-level shedding. “Diagnosis often requires repeated or pooled f***l samples and, occasionally, culture of a re**al biopsy,” she said. “Treatment is complicated as antibiotics can prolong shedding. Clostridium-associated diarrhea is most often recognized after antibiotics disrupt normal flora, and diagnosis requires toxin identification.”

Noninfectious causes of diarrhea include sand ingestion and various inflammatory or infiltrative bowel diseases, including lymphocytic plasmacytic enteritis/colitis (a rare infiltrative intestinal disease) or neoplasia (abnormal tissue growth) such as lymphoma.

Veterinarians and researchers recognize long-term non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) administration as a cause of right dorsal colitis, commonly manifesting as low blood protein with few external signs. Stewart noted that while foals might experience diarrhea caused by issues in the small intestine, chronic disease of the large intestine is the most common culprit in adults.

Current Diagnostic Options and Limitations
With idiopathic diarrhea cases Stewart follows a progressive diagnostic strategy. She starts with taking a comprehensive history, conducting a thorough physical examination, and running laboratory tests that include blood panels, FEC, and Salmonella testing.

If initial assessments are inconclusive, her next steps include an abdominal ultrasound, radiographs, abdominocentesis (collection of peritoneal fluid), and re**al mucosal biopsies. “The latter is valuable for differentiating inflammatory from neoplastic conditions, while imaging assesses for conditions such as sand accumulation via radiographs or colonic wall thickening via ultrasound,” she said.

Managing Horses with Chronic Diarrhea
Successfully managing chronic diarrhea in horses depends on identifying and addressing the underlying cause. Stewart emphasized the importance of dietary management and carefully reviewing all feed and supplements for potential allergens that could irritate the gut.

For confirmed moderate-to-severe infiltrative bowel diseases, whether inflammatory or neoplastic, veterinarians might recommend immunosuppressive therapies such as steroids. Cases linked to sand ingestion require effective psyllium regimens, while infectious cases call for strict biosecurity and, occasionally, antimicrobial therapy.

Take-Home Message
In all cases of diarrhea in horses, Stewart stressed the importance of ruling out treatable infectious or noninfectious causes of diarrhea before diagnosing a particular patient with the less serious condition f***l water syndrome.

The Horse

05/25/2026

Let us remember today and everyday the men and woman that fought for us all to have freedom, but didn’t come home. Their selflessness is what allows us all here to continue to do the things we love.

Hope everyone has a wonderful and safe long weekend, and takes a moment to say thanks to the soldiers that left for us but never returned.

Thank you veteran both past and present 🇺🇸

05/22/2026

What to Consider When Feeding Your Horse Nutritional Supplements

Nutritional supplements don’t replace a high-quality diet and appropriate feeding program, yet many owners use multiple products daily. During his presentation at the 2026 EquiSUMMIT Equine Nutrition & Health Conference, hosted by Kemin Industries, Randel Raub, PhD, of Kent Nutrition, raised several important questions for owners to consider when choosing nutritional supplements.

Who Regulates Equine Nutritional Supplements?
Unlike drugs used to treat or prevent specific health conditions, the industry defines dietary supplements as substances for oral consumption intended for specific benefits other than provision of nutrients beyond normal nutritional needs.

“Nutraceutical supplements, however, are sold under the premise of being a dietary supplement, but for the expressed intent of preventing or treating disease … but that definition now makes them sound like drugs, but unlike drugs these products are not regulated by the FDA,” explained Raub.

In humans the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) regulates manufacturing operations such as quality control and manufacturing standards. The DSHEA does not apply to animal dietary supplements. Instead, the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC), an industry organization, provides some guidelines to animal supplement manufacturers regarding safety and efficacy; however it has no regulatory authority over the manufacturers. Companies that meet NASC standards can use its quality seal on product packaging and advertising.

“NASC is essentially trying to improve the quality and integrity of nutritional supplements and work with government officials that try to create an environment that is fair, reasonable, responsible, and nationally consistent,” Raub said.

How Many Supplements Does Your Horse Need?
“There is no lack of supplements available to consumers, and they are marketed under a lot of different premises and promises,” said Raub. “Oftentimes owners oversupplement, resulting in the most expensive urine and manure on the planet.”

In 2008, researchers looked at feeding management practices of top-level eventing horses. They found owners were oversupplementing to the detriment of performance.

“There is a bell curve ranging from deficient to optimal to toxic,” said Raub. “Each supplement typically has a laundry list of other ingredients, and when you start stacking supplements you can get a toxic situation.”

Electrolytes, for example, can be important, especially for horses exercising in hot, humid environments. Some of these products, however, contain excessive added sugars. If the electrolyte supplement you use does not utilize slow-release technology, the horse might respond to a sudden increase in electrolytes by excreting some of them. Repeated electrolyte use over time can exacerbate gastric ulcers, so the form and timing of administration are also important factors to consider, said Raub. Talk to your veterinarian or an equine nutritionist about which electrolyte supplement is appropriate for your horse.

Is Your Supplement Cost-Effective?
Using biotin as an example, Raub presented three distinct products:

Product A, which costs $95.99 for 11 pounds; Product B, costing $64.99 for 9.3 pounds; and Product C costing $140 for 1 pound.

Raub recommended considering cost per day per active ingredient when selecting a product. In looking at these options, he found the cost per day per active ingredient was $2.35, $1.09, and $0.75, respectively. “So even though the third supplement is expensive for a small amount, it only contains seven ingredients and is only given at small amounts,” he said. “The initial price doesn’t tell you anything.”

He also warned that some water-based supplements contain mostly water with only small amounts of active ingredients and recommended choosing non-water-based alternatives when possible.

Take-Home Message
Regulatory oversight of equine nutritional supplements remains limited. When buying a supplement for your horse, “look for a guaranteed analysis, which is different than label claims,” said Raub. For example, “if it is a biotin supplement, make sure it has biotin on the ingredient list, not just claims or advertising about biotin.”

Avoid excessive supplementation, which can be detrimental to your horse, Raub said. The better the quality and management of the feeding program, the less reliant owners need to be on supplements.

The Horse

05/20/2026

How Does Geography Influence Equine Asthma?

Researchers recently found regional differences in the fungi present in the lower airways of asthmatic horses, adding to growing evidence that environmental fungal exposure influences airway inflammation and respiratory disease.

The researchers evaluated bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples from horses presented to veterinarians for poor performance or respiratory signs across several U.S. ecoregions. They found that neutrophil and eosinophil (types of white blood cells) proportions differed by region, while fungal genera such as Aspergillus, Alternaria, Cladosporium, and Epicoccum also varied geographically. The researchers studied horses in Six ecoregions of North America: Northern Forests, Eastern Temperate Forests, Great Plains, North American Desserts, and Mediterranean California.

The authors noted fungal exposure has long been implicated in equine asthma and inhaling environmental dust particles and mold plays a central role in the disease process.

Managing Dust and Fungal Exposure on Horse Farms
Kathleen Ivester, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, a researcher at Purdue University, in West Lafayette, Indiana, said current management recommendations continue to focus on reducing dust and improving ventilation on horse farms. She said the regional differences in fungal types reaching horses’ lower airways of horses “might be due to differences in the fungi present in the ambient environment or differences in the fungi released from bedding, hay, or other feed stuffs specific to those regions.”

Ivester added that regional differences in hay production, harvest conditions, and storage methods likely contribute to those exposures. Even good-quality hay can expose horses to fungal spores and fragments, she explained. Feeding your horse hay outside or in well-ventilated areas, steaming hay, or feeding a pelleted forage can help reduce risk. She also noted that large round bales generally release more dust and fungi than high-quality square bales.

Owners should also avoid bedding with visible mold contamination or a musty odor. If using straw bedding, Ivester recommended inspecting it for mold.

Barn Chores and Equine Asthma
Routine barn chores can temporarily increase airborne dust levels, including fungal spores.

“Resuspension of settled dust particles can increase the airborne concentration of particulate matter, including fungal spores, for several hours,” Ivester said. “If possible, activities such as sweeping and mucking out should be performed when horses are not in the barn, particularly those horses that have been diagnosed with asthma.”

For horse owners concerned about environmental exposure, Ivester said measuring dust particles can provide a useful practical indicator, even though direct fungal testing often involves specialized laboratory techniques. “We have developed a real-time monitor to measure dust, designed to be worn on a halter,” she said. “This monitor allows measurement of dust levels in the breathing zone of the horse, providing the best estimate of the amount of dust the horse is exposed to. We hope to make this monitor commercially available in the future, and we are actively using it in our own research.” She added that measuring to identify high-dust activities can provide a good marker for inhaled fungi exposure.

Take-Home Message
Researchers identified regional differences in the fungi found in the lower airways of horses with asthma, suggesting geography and environmental exposure could influence airway inflammation. Until researchers can make region-specific recommendations, reducing dust through good ventilation, careful hay and bedding management, and minimizing airborne particles in the barn remain key strategies for managing equine asthma.

The Horse

Kaydence Sports Medicine & Rehab

06/05/2026

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