06/12/2026
🫁 Have You Ever Stopped to Think About Your Horse’s Respiratory System?
I’ll be honest.
With all of this thick, humid air we’ve been dealing with lately, I’ve been on a bit of a respiratory health kick.
And the more horses I evaluate, the more I’m reminded that we often overlook the respiratory system until a horse starts coughing, bleeding, struggling to recover, or flat-out underperforming.
The respiratory system is working 24/7.
Your horse takes roughly 8-16 breaths per minute at rest. During intense exercise, that number can exceed 150 breaths per minute, moving enormous volumes of air through the lungs during a workout.
That’s a lot of work.
Yet many times we focus on joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, feet, and fitness while forgetting the very system responsible for delivering oxygen to all of them.
🩸 Common Respiratory Issues We See
EIPH (Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage)
Commonly known as “bleeding.”
Research estimates that a large percentage of performance horses experience some degree of EIPH during their careers.
This occurs when microscopic capillaries within the lungs rupture under the immense pressures created during exercise.
Some horses show obvious signs.
Others simply don’t perform to their potential.
Signs may include:
🔹 Poor performance
🔹 Delayed recovery
🔹 Coughing after exercise
🔹 Occasional nosebleeds
🌾 Equine Asthma / Heaves
A chronic inflammatory condition often triggered by:
▪️ Dust
▪️ Mold
▪️ Poor ventilation
▪️ Allergens
▪️ Environmental irritants
These horses often struggle more during humid weather because moisture can trap airborne particles and make breathing more difficult.
Signs may include:
🔹 Chronic coughing
🔹 Increased breathing effort
🔹 Nasal discharge
🔹 Exercise intolerance
🤧 Inflammatory Airway Disease (IAD)
Often seen in younger performance horses.
These horses may not appear sick but can show:
🔹 Reduced stamina
🔹 Poor recovery
🔹 Occasional coughing
🔹 Subtle performance decline
The kind of horse that leaves you saying:
“Something just isn’t right.”
🦠 Respiratory Infections
Viral, bacterial, or fungal infections can create inflammation and, in some cases, long-term changes that affect respiratory efficiency even after the infection has resolved.
Signs may include:
🔹 Fever
🔹 Nasal discharge
🔹 Lethargy
🔹 Enlarged lymph nodes
🔹 Coughing
🤔 Here’s Where I Start Asking Questions…
What if the respiratory issue isn’t the entire story?
What if it’s the result of compensation elsewhere in the body?
Think about the horse that’s:
🔸 Heavy on the forehand
🔸 Not engaging the hind end
🔸 Restricted through the rib cage
🔸 Tight through the thoracic sling
🔸 Holding tension through the body and surrounding fascia
Research has shown that a horse’s rib cage and thorax play an active role in respiration. The ribs, diaphragm, thoracic sling, and surrounding musculature all contribute to the mechanics of breathing.
Studies have also demonstrated that muscles such as the serratus ventralis one of the major components of the thoracic sling assist with inspiration during exercise.
So when I evaluate a horse that’s restricted through the ribs, lacking thoracic sling strength, struggling with posture, or compensating elsewhere in the body, I can’t help but wonder:
Could those compensations be influencing how efficiently that horse breathes and performs?
While respiratory disease may absolutely be the primary issue in some horses, in others the respiratory system may simply be another piece of a much larger puzzle.
Because at Caliente Therapy, we’ve learned that the body rarely works in isolation.
Everything is connected.
🫁 So How Can We Help?
EquiResp
Our EquiResp sessions are designed to support respiratory function by helping horses clear mucus, support airway health, and optimize lung efficiency.
Especially during seasons like this when humidity is through the roof and horses are working harder just to move air.
Owners commonly report:
✔️ Easier breathing
✔️ Improved recovery times
✔️ Better stamina
✔️ Improved performance
💪 Proper Fitness
Fitness isn’t just about cardiovascular endurance.
It’s about teaching the body to move efficiently.
A stronger hind end.
A more functional thoracic sling.
Better posture.
Improved rib cage mobility.
Balanced movement patterns.
All of these things contribute to a horse’s ability to perform and potentially how efficiently they breathe while doing it.
🧡 Food For Thought
Sometimes we’re so focused on the leg, the back, the foot, or the diagnosis that we forget to zoom out and look at the entire horse.
Maybe that’s why I’ve been on such a respiratory kick lately.
Because sometimes we need to reel ourselves back in and remember:
Without oxygen, none of the other systems can perform at their best.
The respiratory system may not always be the root cause.
But it should never be overlooked in the search for one.
📸 : photo of Bunny getting her Equi Resp session. I promise she’s happier than she looks😂
All the horses seem to make this face when it’s time for their session
