racehorse holds breath

Question

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Followup To

Question -
I have recently realized that my 4 year old Thoroughbred has been suffering from mucous in his lungs. This keeps him from fininshing well in his works and races (3). We have cleared the lungs but he continues to hold his breathe and can't run beyond 41/2 furlongs. How can I retrain him to breath properly in order to finish a race and win! He evidently thinks it will still hurt to take in air and exhale.
Help!

Answer -
Cherie

Cherie,

It isn't actually possible for your horse to hold his breath for that distance. I AM REPEATING WHAT THE JOCKEY SAID AFTER HIS RACE. HE SAID THAT THE HORSE NEVER EXHALED.

What caused the mucous in the lungs, ALL HIS WORKS PAST 4 FURLONGS WERE AVERAGE TO POOR AS WELL AS HIS FIRST TWO RACES. HAD HIM SCOPED ONCE (WORRIED ABOUT BLEEDING) AND THE VET FOUND NOTHING. and how long do you suspect that it was going on before you noticed?  How was it treated, and how have you followed up to make certain that it is indeed gone? BECAUSE HE SHOWED NO OTHER SIGNS OF PROBLEMS (NO COUGHING, TEMP, NASAL DISCHARGE, ETC.) I JUST RAN OUT OF IDEAS AND HAD HIM SCOPED AGAIN AND MY OTHER VET FOUND THE MUCOUS. I SUSPECT HE HAS HAD IT SINCE HE WAS IN TRAINING AS A TWO YEAR OLD. THIS WAS BEFORE I GOT MY LICENSE AND HAD TO RELY ON ANOTHER TRAINER. NOW AS A FOUR YEAR OLD, I THINK THE PROBLEM HAS STEMMED FROM AN ALERGY. *MY HUSBAND AND I SURVIVED A VERY BAD AIRPLANE CRASH LAST SUMMER SO MY HORSES HAVE BEEN KEPT BACK. *I HAVE ONLY HAD MY LICENSE SINCE MAY 2006. I suspect that he is probably displacing his palate, rather than holding his breath. I WILL DEFINATELY ASK MY VET ABOUT THE PALATE. I DID ASK HIM ABOUT THE EPIGLOTTIS AND HE SAID IT WAS PERFECT. Horses with mucous in the lungs tend to displace quite often, which shuts down their airflow.  This could be mistaken for a horse "holding his breath".  

If he was running with this problem for long, he could also have scarring in the lungs, THE VET DID NOT SEE ANY SCARRING, THE LUNGS LOOKED GOOD AND CLEAR. which leads to bleeding, which would also cause him to shut down at about the spot you've indicated.  Has he been scoped after running? AFTER HIS WORKS ONLY.  Is he on Lasix? FIRST TWO RACES HE WAS ON PREMRIN AND THE THIRD ON 5CC LASIX. If so, is he working on Lasix, WORKED ON LASIX ONLY ONCE (6f AT 116.4) WORST WORK EVER SO THAT IS WHY I OPTED FOR THE PREMRIN (THIS WAS PRIOR TO FINDING OUT ABOUT THE MUCOUS)  as well as racing?  In order to prevent further infection and scarring, he should be.
Let me know what the vet said when he scoped him, how you've traeted him and for how long, HE HAS BEEN TREATED FOR THE LAST 4 WEEKS ON IODINE POWEDER, AZIUM AND CLENBUTEROL) what equipment he uses, etc, and I'll try and be a bit more specific.  

I SHOULD ALSO SAY THAT THIS HORSE CAN "RUN ALL DAY". HE IS VERY EASY ON HIMSELF, VERY SMOOTH *THE JOCKEY COULD CARRY A CHAMPAIGN GLASS WITHOUT SPILLING. IT SEEMS THAT HE ONLY HAS THE PROBLEM WHEN ASKED FOR SPEED BEYOND THE 4 FURLONGS.

ALSO, THIS HORSE NEARLY DIED AS A DAY OLD FOAL FROM CLOSTRIDIUM AND SO I ALSO TREAT HIM FOR ULCERS WHICH I THINK HE DEVELOPED AT THAT TIME.

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HELP AND IDEAS.
CHERIE
Stephanie Frost
www.alchemybloodstock.com

Answer
Cherie,

I can't help what your jockey said, the fact is that he is incorrect.  It isn't physically possible for a horse to hold his breath for 4 furlongs or better at racing speed.  You might want to consider switching to a more experienced rider, who could actually tell you something useful.

Odds are, he's flipping his palate.  Have him scoped after he races, andf have the vet look for signs.  Flipping can be difficult to find without a rider or trainer who knows what to listen for, since generally once a horse swallows, the problem disapears.  A good vet can usually figure it out from scoping after exersize, though.  If he is displacing, you could try a figure eight, a tongue tie, a Cornell Collar, or surgery.  
If he's bleeding, and he very well may be, then he will keep getting infections and mucous, regardless of treatment after the fact.  Blood in the lungs is a prime medium for bacteria, so every time he bleeds, even a little, he'll get a new infection that will have to be treated.  If this is the case, you might consider adding Gentocin or Sulfa to your treatment mix.  

Good luck,
Stephanie Frost