Menu
Stable Horse Training and Rehabilitation
  • Home
  • Equine Health
    • Hoof Health
      • Hoof Anatomy Part 1
      • Why get X-rays of Hooves
      • Founder in Horses
      • Pedal Osteitis in Horses
      • Rehabilitating Laminitic Horses
      • Thin Soles in Equines
      • False Sole in the Hoof
      • Ripples and Rings in the Hoof Wall
      • Embedded Debris in Hoof Wall
      • Cracks in the Hoof Wall
      • Flared Quarters in Hoof Walls
      • Understanding Missing Chunks of Hoof
      • Shedding Frogs in Horses
      • Thrush
      • Deep and Aggressive Thrush
    • Clean and Accessible Water
    • Keeping Horses Hydrated During Turnout
    • Concepts About Consistent Environments For Horses
    • Nutrition and Diet
    • Checking Horse Vitals
    • Labored Breathing in Horses
    • Proud Flesh in Horses
    • Hematoma in Horses
    • Treating Mild Mud Scald
    • Treating Aggressive Mud Scald
    • Detecting Lice in Horses
    • Fecal Egg Count and Deworming
    • Weaving in Horses
    • Saddle Fitting for Horses
  • Training
    • Safety Around Horses : A Series
      • Wearing a Helmet When Horse Riding
      • Laying Down On or With a Horse
      • Road Safety With Horses
      • Controlling a horses head
      • Leading A Horse While Under Pressure
    • Taking Care of Horses : A Series
      • Taking Care of Horses : Boarding Horses
      • Taking Care Of Horses: Horse Boarding – Part 2
      • Taking Care Of Horses: Grooming Horses
      • Taking Care of Horses: Cleaning Ears
      • Taking Care of Horses : Cleaning Hooves
      • Taking Care of Horses: Cleaning Eye Goo
      • Taking Care of Horses: Feeding 24/7 with Hay Bags
      • Taking Care of Horses : Manure
      • Taking Care of Horses : Picking Scabs
      • Taking Care of Horses : Winter Water
      • Taking Care of Horses: Winter Care and Blanketing
    • Foundation Groundwork for Partnership
    • Groundwork Basics – Circles
    • Groundwork: Using Direction and Drive for Movement
    • Groundwork Training in Water
    • Groundwork: Training a Horse at the Mounting Block
    • Just Get Out And Trail Ride With Your Horse!
    • Leading a Horse out of a Trailer
    • Going For a Walk With a Nervous or Distracted Horse
    • What to do About Horses Calling Out When Riding
    • Horse Communication Through Rubbing a Horse on the Head
    • Training a Horse That Crowds the Gate
    • Backing a Horse Up
    • Sprinkler Training
    • Why Horses Bite
    • Petting Horses and Other Horse Behaviors
    • Working on Making a “Bomb-Proof Horse”
    • Encouraging the Response to the Discouragement of Unsafe Horse Behaviour
    • Acclimating Horses to Stepping on Ice
  • Shop!
  • Our Facility
  • Contact
  • YouTube
  • FB
Stable Horse Training and Rehabilitation

Labored Breathing in Horses

Posted on January 10, 2016 by Graeme

Sometimes when we come across our horses in pasture we may notice them breathing a bit hard or deeply. In some cases this could be that they are winded and just finished run or something. Perhaps some playing with another horse has them active and trying to catch their breath. In other cases labored breathing could possibly be confused for sniffing something out or some form of excitement like fear or concern, related to snorting. If you’re quite sure that your horse hasn’t got any of the above situations going on, then your horse likely has labored breathing.

Labored breathing can be subtle or very obvious depending on what is going on with the horse. Here is a great example when viewing the horse as to what they would look like if they are breathing in a labored way:

I explain in the above video why this horse has labored breathing, but to also explain here; this horse unfortunately had a very serious abscess in one of her front feet. When pain is great enough that a horse has labored breathing, it’s pretty much time to call the vet if you haven’t already. If you are savvy about horse health and understand what is going on then a vet may not be required, but it’s very important to figure out what is happening. In this case it was obvious, an abscess is hard to hide when the horse is in this much pain, but in many cases it’s colic.

Colic is usually very painful to a horse and many die from it being untreated or not managed. Some get through it without anything, but most need help. Either way, the first clue is usually labored breathing. Once spotted it’s important to take a good look all over your horse to see if anything is visible. A puncture wound or abscess will be obvious, colic may not be but the horse may be standing “odd”. These are all clues to figure out what could be causing your horse enough pain to be breathing so heavily.

If you see a horse with flaring nostrils, deep breathing and looking exerted despite not having moved much at all, then you are seeing a horse in pain. Get a vet or somebody familiar with looking at horses to check the horse out and help them as this is the usually the first and best clue to seeing something is wrong.

In comparison, here is a horse that is just relaxed and breathing normally:

Available In Our Store!

  • Video Review Of Training Gracie With The Dinosaur $5.00
  • Premium Plush 60" x 80" Horse Or Scenery Blanket $109.00
  • 60" x 80" Premium Plush Blanket Of Gracie Premium Plush 60" x 80" Gracie Blanket $109.00
  • Premium Plush 60" x 80" Lena Blanket Premium Plush 60" x 80" Lena Blanket $109.00
  • Horse Training $50.00

Our Beautiful Horses

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqX_Bflw00

Instagram

stable.horse.training

I'm an avid outdoorsman, horseman and father. I spend an inordinate amount of time studying horse medical items and watching horse behaviors.

Just in case you needed a guinea pig in your day t Just in case you needed a guinea pig in your day today #guineapig #nachothepig #guineapigsitting
Here's a slightly closer one showing the little fe Here's a slightly closer one showing the little feelers inside the eyeball called the corpora nigra, which is essentially over top of the pupil and sits on top of the iris. #horsescience #sameeyeball #roniisthebest
Horse eyeballs are so neat... Roni was a great mod Horse eyeballs are so neat... Roni was a great model for this shot but holy smokes is it hard to get focus just right. #horseeyesarecool #eyeball #roniisthebest
Had to do a bit of video work and got saddled with Had to do a bit of video work and got saddled with this guy #guineapigsitting #dadlife
Zeus on a Zeus blanket! Both him and the blanket a Zeus on a Zeus blanket! Both him and the blanket are super soft #bestdogever #heisallcleantoday #bathday
A beautiful sunset to finish off a beautiful day. A beautiful sunset to finish off a beautiful day. #asunsettoremember
Power was out for almost 24 hours, internet is sti Power was out for almost 24 hours, internet is still dead but I had this to look at all day today. I'd say that's a fair trade! Outside of the zinger mother nature delivered which I'll post about on the channel when the internet comes back up... #whatabeautifulday #snowylandscapesareamazing #mothernaturebothgivesandtakesaway
I talk to quite a few people online and offline th I talk to quite a few people online and offline that feel like they make it to the end of the week with just barely enough left in the tank to make it. The conversation inevitable veers to how to fill that tank back up for the rest of the week or even just simply the next day. No matter what that is, take great value in it and make sure those around you value it. It might not just be some hobby or a random way to destress and let steam off maybe, consider it part of your medical system as you mentally, emotionally and physically get right to prepare you to be your best! #tipoftheweek #somanyhorsestoworkwith #kidstakeeffort #playtimeisalwaysimportant
This is one of my favorite shots of Luke just chil This is one of my favorite shots of Luke just chilling out on a warm afternoon with Ohana I the background. Got those two ears just right with a really nice horsey expression #lukeisthebest #horses #beautifulday #gotbothears #bayhorsesareawesome
Load More... Follow on Instagram
©2021 Stable Horse Training and Rehabilitation | Powered by WordPress & Superb Themes