The problem with dust

Dust can include bacteria, viruses, mould, insect debris, bacterial endotoxins, and inorganic dusts. All of these can work against your horse’s immune system.

Dust can pose a  huge problem for horses, as many are prone to respiratory infections and diseases, which dust can aggravate and/or cause. For example, COPD, heaves, inflammatory airway disease, and pharyngeal lymphoid hyperplasia (inflammation, allergic reaction, and ulceration of the lymphoid tissue at the rear of the throat), are directly caused by, or aggravated by the inhalation of airborne dust. Unfortunatley, increased infections and allergies lead to an increase in vet bills.

Dusty environments can reduce the performance of the competition horse, due to the airways being compromised.

With dust as a contributing factor a simple respiratory infection could turn into a chronic illness which sticks with your animal, causing pain and discomfort for life.

Some advice 

Whilst you are cleaning out the stalls remove your horse from the area so that they aren’t breathing in the dust particles. If you are shaking out the bedding and finding it an unbearable environment or are struggling to breathe, think about what this means for your horse, as they are the ones that have to live in it!

Try and keep the dust in your bedding low to begin with, look for absorbent bedding that has either reduced dust or is completely screened and hypoallergenic. This means that your horse is free to rest easy in a dry, comfortable and low-dust environment.

For more information about our range of dust-reduced and totally dust-free shavings, click here and read more, or why not Livechat our team with your questions?