Barn Management Tips to Defend Against Dust

Equine Asthma or heaves can cause exercise intolerance difficulty expelling air inflammation of lung epithelium and narrowing of bronchus persistent cough and nasal secretions from mucous production. All of the above can turn a riding horse into a pasture ornament and or in worst case scenarios bring about important quality of life decisions. Dont wait for these signs or a telltale heave line to appear before taking steps to reduce dust mould and particulates in your horses environment. Two of the top sources of these are hay and bedding. These management tips will help you minimize dust and provide a healthier environment for horses and people.

Hay
Purchase hay that has been tested for quality. It will also help stretch your feed dollar!
Store hay on pallets to reduce moisture from ground and in a separate building away from the barn but not in the indoor riding arena. Doing so provides the benefits of a fire prevention measure as well as dust reduction in the horses environment.
Hay should be sufficiently dried before storing and then monitored for moisture content. Storing damp hay provides an environment of moisture and heat for mould to thrive and multiply and also creates a fire hazard.
Visual evaluation of hay is important but not all mould and particulate can be detected with the naked eye. A hay test for mould contamination can be done.
Feed from the ground when possible. If you use a hay net wet it down just before hanging it.
Round bales are not recommended. Horses that spend their day buried neckdeep in a round bale are inhaling a copious amount of mould mycotoxins and dust. This can double the risk of developing equine asthma.
Consider wetting or steaming hay or feeding hay alternatives such as hay pellets cubes or haylage if the horses breathing is negatively affected by