The Importance of a Healthy Immune & Respiratory System in Your Horse

A healthy immune system is necessary for your horse to withstand stress in the environment and to mount an appropriate response to disease.

Any time the horse experiences added stress, such as excessive hauling, intense training or competition, dramatic feed and water changes, cold or damp weather, is recovering from an illness, is just getting older or traumatic experiences, the immune system can easily become deficient. If this happens your horse is susceptible to the bugs that are present. He is open and ready for anything that may be available to him in his present environment. Generally the thing that will tip you off that your horse needs this combination is his lethargic attitude. He will be disinterested in his feed and water, or if he coughs when you are warming him up and then quits coughing when he is warmed up.

The immune system is, simply put, the vital organs working with the blood and lymphatic system to accomplish the optimal welfare of the body. When the immune system is not working in harmony or if it is given excess work to do right when it is already working as hard as it can, it simply can not, and will not, be able to handle the job it is designed to do.