-
Step 1
Examine your horse to see if he has heaves and to what degree. Observe his breathing. Even at rest, a horse with heaves will flare his nostrils and take hurried breaths as if gasping for air. He will breathe in quickly and out slowly and with a grunt to help expel the air in his lungs. Horses with heaves also cough as a result of chronic bronchitis, just like humans with emphysema.
-
Step 2
Keep your horse in a pasture with grass and not on dirt or dust. Dust irritates heaves and can cause it to worsen. Keep the horse in a stall only if absolutely necessary, keeping the bedding dust-free and always clean.
-
Step 3
Feed your horse wet hay to keep hay dust down. The best way to feed wet hay is to put the hay in a hay net and submerge the entire net under water for 5 to 10 minutes. It should be dripping wet. Your horse may not like it at first, but he will get used to it.
-
Step 4
Use a grain mixture with molasses. Molasses keeps the dust to a minimum in the grain. Feed your horse an adequate amount, but not too much. A horse with heaves should not be fat or overweight since this can worsen the condition.
-
Step 5
Administer cough medication from a veterinarian into the horse's feed. They are available in powder or liquid form and can help reduce coughing.
-
Step 6
Exercise your horse slowly and not when he is coughing. If the horse is coughing often, do not ride him. Allow 3 to 4 weeks of rest and treatment with cough medication before gradually working him again.
