Association of increased tracheal mucus accumulation with poor willingness to perform in show-jumpers and dressage horses

Inflammatory Airway Disease of Horses—Revised Consensus Statement

“…Poor racing performance in racehorses and reduced willingness to perform in show‐jumpers and dressage horses are associated with excess tracheal mucus, but an association with tracheal wash neutrophilia has not been detected 10, 12, 30. In racehorses, poor racing performance is associated with BALF neutrophilia 25, 26, 27, 31, 32.…”

“…However, poor performance is highly multifactorial and comorbidities with other respiratory and nonrespiratory conditions in poorly performing horses must be considered 25, 26, 32, 33, 34. Poor performance is also difficult to define objectively, but may be assessed based on riders’ or trainers’ impression, using semiquantitative scores 12, 35, 36. Signs like delayed recovery of respiratory rate after exercise and exaggerated respiratory effort during work,37 warrant further consideration.…”

“…Recurrent airway obstruction principally affects horses over 7 years of age 7, 8. In contrast, IAD can affect horses of all ages and clinical signs are usually subtle, including poor performance and occasional coughing but with normal breathing at rest 9, 10, 11, 12. Similarly, airway inflammation in horses with IAD is mild and results in limited pulmonary dysfunction that requires sensitive methods of detection 13, 14, 15.…”

Clinical Approach to Commonly Encountered Problems

“…247 Normal horses tend to be either grade 0 or 1, whereas those with equine asthma are 2 to 5. 232,[249][250][251] Diagnostic Imaging. 232,[249][250][251] Diagnostic Imaging.…”

Veterinary aspects of training the show jumping horse

“…60 In one clinic seeing primarily show jumping horses with poor performance, it was reported that more than 50% of horses had evidence of lower airway disease, the majority of which were classified as RAO and IAD. Upper airway obstruction may limit performance.…”