What causes severe "blowing" in working draft horses while at rest?

Question

I work with Percheron draft horses who pull carriages. The girls are in very good shape and this is the second summer that I have worked with them so I've seen how they deal with working in heat. Last season they even worked in more severe heat than they have seen this summer. One of our mares is black well brown now with the sun bleaching so she does attract more heat, but she refuses to shed all of her winter coat. It's still pretty long and though she sheds it's just replaced with more long hair. She's also taken to blowing pretty badly. The vet has done blood work and doesn't see anything wrong. But I know there has to be something. She tires out from a little trotting and now even after she walks she starts bowing hard enough to rock the carriage. I hose her down and after standing in harness not doing anything for quite awhile she continues to blow though not as severely. It's not normal for her and I'm worried she's not getting the oxygen she needs. Any ideas of the cause?

Answer 1

How old is she, does she have any other health problems, and what is she eating?  Does she show any other symptoms at all other than the blowing?  Have you ever taken her temp when she's having an episode, and if so, is it normal?  Did she have any kind of illness or injury since when she was used last season?  I would keep her clipped if her coat is that long.  Hopefully you'll see some improvement once she is a little cooler.    I'l check back to see if you added any more info...in the meantime, good luck.

Answer 2

i would clip her for starters. We have a gaited horse with the same problem. He just has a bad cough and is blowing while just in the pasture, and also doesn't shed out but he doesn't have cushings. We aren't really sure what is wrong with him the vet just gives us this cough syrup stuff to give him everyday.

Answer 3

Are her sides heaving when she's blowing like that? Did the vet listen to her lungs. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) or also referred to as Heaves produces symptoms like what you've described. It's like a horse having emphysema or asthma and they start breathing very hard, especially when it's hot out. It's the first thing that jumped out at me when I read you question. It develops slowly over time and for many reasons, such as being exposed to environmental agents like lots of dust from a barn or the streets, etc. I would also do a full body clip on her if she is really hairy and it's that hot out.

EDIT: Wanted to add: I hadn't seen anyone's answers when I wrote this (too busy typing), though I see the similarity now. For clarification's sake. My best friend had a horse with COPD and he reacted the same way. Ok, bye, now and good luck.

Answer 4

I agree with Sovereign and I also believe that heaves is common in draft breeds.  Either a lung or heart condition would produce the kind of symptoms you are seeing.  I also agree with Sovereign that you should investigate for metabolic syndrome (can be called cushing's or insulin dependence also) since you say the winter hair coat hasn't shed completely...that is often an early sign of the disease.  Heat intolerance would be seen with any of these conditions, but the blowing sounds like obstructive lung disease.

Answer 5

Your mare has some kind of pulmonary (lung) problem....her rate of air exchange must be very labored....I'm wondering about two things....an early onset of heaves...chronic obstructive airway disease or possibly a cardiac problem....has your vet ruled out any of these????  Or an onset of Cushings?  You might want to body clip this mare but not so short that she sunburns...that would just add to the problem.

If she were mine, I'd not work her and  keep her out of direct sunlight until your vet is able to determine what might be wrong with her...since your original vet has already seen her, I'd be after a second opinion.....draft horses are noble creatures, they never complain, and they deserve the utmost consideration as they'll work till they drop.   Because of their body mass they're much more prone to heat exhaustion.  I think we have to respect that.

Answer 6

I show draft horses, and there is a horse in our hitch who is just running 'hot' all the time. She one of the two in lead team, and leads the unicorn hitch too-  Is your horse pretty calm natured? Our mare is just so fired up- that she does that out of being anxious. As yours sounds, the mare is in good shape, and isn't harboring any health issues, she's just excited- head way up in the air and feet a'flyin. Good luck!