A healthy respiratory system is essential to every horse's well-being and athletic performance. Like humans, horses rely on their lungs and airways to deliver oxygen throughout the body, but the demands placed on their respiratory system increase dramatically during exercise. Efficient oxygen exchange allows working muscles to perform, while the respiratory tract also serves as an important defence system by filtering and removing dust, bacteria, ammonia, and other airborne irritants. Although mucus, coughing, sneezing, and nasal discharge help clear the airways, excessive amounts of these signs may indicate an underlying respiratory problem.

Spring is a season of renewal on the horse farm — but it’s also a time when risk rises sharply. Melting snow, saturated ground, drying grass, and volatile weather patterns can quickly turn routine days into emergency situations. Gradual flooding and flash floods, grass and structure fires, severe storms, rapid snow melt, and ice jams that block water flow can threaten horses, people, and infrastructure with little warning. Add in secondary risks such as power outages, water contamination, disease outbreaks, and damaged fencing, and it becomes clear that emergency preparedness isn’t optional — it’s essential.

For a horse owner, there are few sights more welcome than the first signs of spring. As the snow melts away and the pastures begin to turn green, horse owners are glad to see the end of short days, frozen water buckets, and woolly coats. Springtime means longer, warmer days to spend working in the arena or hitting the trails. The season is also an ideal time to catch up on your horse’s healthcare needs.

Take an inside look into the latest the scientific studies at the University of Saskatchewan's veterinary college, with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine's semi-annual newsletter: Horse Health Lines.