Spring Respiratory Support Starts Now
- r-r-country-blog
Spring is a wonderful time of year, but it can also be a challenging season for horses. Recent weather trends are still impacting both levels of turnout and forage quality and, even as the weather improves and turnout increases, so too can the number of particles in the air, including pollens.
Respiratory health is critical for both performance and overall well-being and therefore something we should pay close attention to. We also know if a horse is sensitive to these airborne particles, then that sensitivity is also likely to return every year and may increase each time. So, is there anything we can be doing now, before we see the problem, to prepare our horses for the season ahead?
NAF Five Star Respirator Boost
Introducing NAF Five Star Respirator Boost now, before seasonal issues take hold, is advised, to provide targeted nutritional support maintaining a clear, healthy, respiratory tract no matter what the season has in store.
Key benefits of Respirator Boost:
- Vitamin C: Considered a conditionally essential vitamin for respiratory health. Unlike people, horses do not require Vitamin C in their general diet, as they can synthesise it themselves from glucose. However, at times of challenge, Vitamin C’s role as an antioxidant is useful and supplementation is recommended for horses facing respiratory challenge.
- Herbal antioxidants: Antioxidant herbal tinctures, such as rosemary, ginger and turmeric, work with Vitamin C to support the body’s response to seasonal challenge.
- Soothing support: Glycerine is included to maintain comfort through the respiratory tract – just as we might suck on a throat sweet.
- Highly palatable and easy to add to their daily feed.
When to feed Respirator Boost
Start now for horses known to be sensitive to respiratory challenge. Feeding daily maintains their lungs in a clear, healthy condition; allowing them to then go out and enjoy all aspects of equine daily life.
If your horse is new to you, or living in a new environment, look for signs that respiratory function may be compromised. Reduced performance or lower exercise tolerance can often be the only clue in horses not expressing clinical signs. Otherwise, we may see more effort in breathing, natural discharge from the nostrils, untypical head movements for your horse or noticeable breath sounds.
Management tips to support respiratory wellbeing alongside Respirator Boost
- Providing dust-free forage, such as soaked or steamed hay
- Avoiding straw bedding and choosing low-dust alternatives
- Keeping stables ventilated and clean
- Using air purifiers or misting systems to reduce airborne allergens
- Modifying exercise regimes to avoid peak times
- Limiting turnout during high pollen or dusty periods
- Monitor horse's body weight as excess weight can have a negative effect on breathing.
