Ammonia is a pungent smelling, highly flammable gas. Even low levels of ammonia can cause upper respiratory problems, putting the horse at risk of serious illnesses. Foals are particularly susceptible to illness said to be related to ammonia fumes as well as horses recovering from illness or injury.  Stabled horses tend to suffer respiratory problems more than pastured horses because in open air, the urine is not trapped, hence preventing the production of ammonia that the horse breathes in from a small space.

Ammonia fumes are detrimental to good respiratory health as they can irritate the airways. Extended exposure to ammonia can cause irritation, chronic inflammation of bronchi, airway hyperactivity and chronic irritation of eye membranes and mucus membranes.

In order to improve the air quality in the stable:

• Keep horses outside where possible. In open air, urine isn’t trapped and horses don’t breathe in high concentrations of ammonia.
• Muck out fully, each day. If the horse is stabled all the time, skip out in between full muck outs.
• Remove the horse from his stable when mucking out – ideally turn him out, but putting him in another stable also works if that isn’t possible.
• Wear a face mask when you muck out to help protect yourself.
•  Use quality bedding material and add materials to the bedding, known for soaking up urine and neutralising the odours. Some bedding has natural properties that act on ammonia too.
• Keep stable and barn doors and windows open whenever possible for ventilation purposes and to encourage good air circulation.

A fizzy horse can be exciting for an experienced rider, but daunting for a novice, or those wanting to ride a calm and collected dressage test! Some horses are naturally fizzy, but through careful feeding and care, can become a whole lot easier to manage!

Work out…

If you provide your horse with more energy than they need, you’re going to get weight gain and/or too much fizz. Feeding is a balancing act and in the cold winter months you need to consider how to keep condition on your horse, but also factor in that your riding hours may be limited. As the better weather comes, it is easy to think more work means more feed. In reality, if your horse has access to grazing, the grass will be more nutritious, so it is important to not overdo feed in the first instance. If you increase work before feed and pay close attention to your horse’s condition and energy levels, you should be able to find the right balance.

Go Slow…

Another consideration is the type of feed. Fizzy horses generally thrive well on slow release, high fibre feeds. These can include hay and bagged forage. If your horse needs extra calories, consider oils over cereals as these release their energy slowly.

There are specially branded feeds usually labelled as ‘non heating’ that might be suitable for fizzy horses, so it’s worth looking at these. Also consider access to grass as 1kg of spring grass can supply about 400g of sugar, with a horse consuming 4kg a day, it all adds up. Consider rationing access to rich grass to help keep them calm and protect their waistline. You might be able to do this through strip grazing, utilising a muzzle or keeping your horse in for portions of the day. Do keep your horse’s fibre level up though, so look at hay and similar fibres that will keep the gut moving.

Consider the belly!

Some fizzy horses suffer with anxiety and stress, particularly when competing, and show this by passing characteristic loose droppings. If this is the case with your horse, then consider some form of pre and pro biotic supplement that can help support digestive health and support tummy issues. There are a number of good digestive support products on the market, and some feeds contain additional ingredients to support the gut, so it’s worth doing your research.

By considering feed and then looking at workload, general behaviour, routine and stable management, you can provide the best setting for your horse, and help to work towards a calmer, less fizzy ride. Don’t forget that you’re not alone. If you need feeding advice, contact one of the free helplines who will be happy to assist you in working out a diet to suit you and your horse.