As the competition season ramps up, you may start to notice that your horse is spending a considerable amount of time in the trailer. Before you hit the road, it is likely that you give the trailer a preliminary safety check in an effort to keep your horse safe and sound on the way to your destination.

But how much thought have you given to your horse’s respiratory health? Even with the best intentions, you may be neglecting an essential piece of your horse’s overall wellness.

Being exposed to ammonia while traveling can have devastating effects on the respiratory system. Ammonia irritates the lining of the airways, which can lead to complications as minor as coughs and nasal secretions, or as major as inflammatory airway disease (IAD) and recurrent airway obstruction (RAO).

Ammonia can be managed in a number of ways, but the best plan of attack is a multi-faceted approach. Controlling ammonia in your trailer begins with proper ventilation, try to select a trailer with ample vents and leave as many open as possible (please refer to the manufacturers literature to determine which vents are safe to leave open while traveling).

Additionally, consistent circulation helps to remove ammonia as well as other toxic chemicals from the air.

Keeping the trailer clean between uses will certainly help to manage ammonia, but it often isn’t enough. Your horse creates high volumes of ammonia (secreted in both urine and manure) during the duration of the trailer ride.

Urine can seep down into the flooring (even into rubber mats!), and can provide a constant source of ammonia, despite your best efforts. In order to completely remove ammonia from the trailer, consider using an ammonia-reducing product such as Sweet PDZ Horse Stall Refresher.

Using a liberal application of Sweet PDZ Horse Stall Refresher will effectively eliminate ammonia from the trailer, keeping the noxious gas at bay. It also absorbs moisture, making it helpful for controlling damp spots in trailers.

Trailering is stressful enough for your horse; remove respiratory stress from the equation. Keep your horses breathing easy and implement ammonia control procedures as part of your trailer care routine.

By Jennifer Roberts