Last updated on April 15, 2025
Need to Know the Truth About Horse Allergies? We’ve Got It Here!
Have you ever seen your horse sneeze? In recent weeks, have you seen more snot than usual running out of your horse’s nose? Have you Googled “at-home treatments for horse allergies” or spent money on devices like nebulizers and red-light therapy lamps?
There seems to be a huge uptick in talk and products around allergy treatments for horses…but I bet you’ve never heard an old-timer cowboy say something like, “Well I had to treat him for allergies, but he was a heck of a runner!” So what gives? Can horses even have allergies or is it just an urban legend? In this blog, we are taking a deep dive into horse allergies: whether it’s fact or fiction, and what you can do if your horse is suffering from environmental allergies.
So, Horse Allergies: Fact or Fiction?
Let’s cut to the chase- yes, horses can have allergies to things like mold, dust, pollen, and insect bites. The allergen “trigger” causes the immune system to ramp up the production of antibodies created by white blood cells. When the antibodies combine with the allergen, chemicals called histamines are released and cause inflammation. When left unchecked, this inflammation can become common allergy symptoms like hives and respiratory issues.
As with humans, allergies can manifest in different ways in horses. While food allergies can occur in horses, it’s pretty rare, so we will focus on environmental allergens that can be inhaled or come in direct physical contact. Dust, mold, and pollen can cause symptoms like:
- Hives
- Itchy skin (sometimes resulting in hair loss)
- Increased nasal discharge
- Weepy eyes
- Recurrent airway obstruction (RAO)
- Coughing or sneezing
Increase in Equine Allergies
Ok, so horses can have allergies, but why didn’t Grandpappy ever talk about it? While it’s likely that horses have always had allergies (just like humans), it’s evident that the number of allergy cases have increased in the past few decades. There are several reasons for this.
One of them is pure education. We are more aware of allergy symptoms, have better and more widely available testing and treatments, and have the research backing this up. And according to Dr. Lara Tomich, DVM on the Ask The Horse Podcast, the higher average temperatures increase the pollen counts around the country which correlates with the higher allergy cases.
Toxin Overload & Horse Allergies
If you are even a tad bit natural-remedies-minded, (and we are guessing you are, since you’ve checked into the best natural horse supplements on the market), then you have most likely learned about toxin overload and its effect on the immune response in humans.
Essentially, the research goes like this: when a human body is overloaded with toxins- either environmental, food, or high-stress levels (because yes, stress is hard on your body), then the body can tend to overreact to things that are not otherwise intruders or “bad guys” to the body. Creating a false alarm reaction, so to speak.
In fact, many people have minimized allergy symptoms- or removed them altogether- by reducing the toxic overload on the body. Without the added stress of toxins clogging up the systems, the body is able to distinguish between an actual threat (like the flu) and a false alarm threat (pollen).
Ok, but we’re supposed to be talking about horses, right? The equine body is quite a bit different from the human body, so does the toxin overload = allergies equation also apply to horses? Yes it does! Toxins like phthalates and heavy metals cause inflammation throughout the body. As we mentioned before, allergic reactions are essentially inflammation. And since the body’s immune system is already in overdrive fighting off the toxins, it is more likely to attack pollen, dust mites, and mold spores as well. Thus causing allergic reactions in our horses.
Read more about the burden of toxic overload on a horse’s body in this blog.
How to Treat Your Horse’s Allergies
Alright so after careful observation, you’ve deduced that your beloved horse is indeed suffering from allergies. So now what? First step would be to talk with your veterinarian and determine if they need testing to pinpoint the specific allergens.
Next, we’d suggest starting your horse on Foundation Daily Detox and NuTrack Digestive Support. Together, these two supplements flush your horse’s body of toxins, allowing the digestive, respiratory, and immune systems to work at their full potential. Then the amino acids and minerals in NuTrack give the horse’s body the proper support for nutrient absorption, muscle development, and coat and hoof health. The all-natural ingredients are proven to reduce inflammation (remember: the reason behind allergic reactions) and support proper immune function.
(We wrote about how beautifully FDD and NuTrack work together here)
Readjusting your horse’s schedule and feeding may help with the management of allergy symptoms as well. Keeping them inside during high pollen counts, changing your exercise/training times to when bugs are less common, and providing more pasture time & wetting down their hay to reduce dust exposure are all ways to manage allergy symptoms naturally.
If you’re comfortable with it, corticosteroids are often used in management of horse allergies, as they reduce inflammation. But again, due to the risk factors of long term use, we naturally minded folks tend to lean on consistent usage of FDD and NuTrack.
Survey Saaaays: Horses CAN Have Allergies!
Even if your horse elders scoff at the idea of horses having allergies, science and veterinarians alike say it is a real thing. Yes, there has been an increase in diagnosis over the past decade or so, but that does not mean it’s just a trendy bandwagon that horse owners are jumping onto. It’s because of the advancement in veterinary medicine, research, and the increase in environmental pollution and pollen counts.
If your horse is exhibiting allergy symptoms, work with your vet to identify the allergies and then use good common horse sense to make a treatment plan.
Some things you may do to help relieve symptoms include:
- Detox using FDD and NuTrack
- Reduce outdoor time during high pollen/bug counts
- Increase outdoor time or barn ventilation if dust is the culprit
- Wet hay before feeding
- Control inflammation with corticosteroids
- Reduce exposure to toxins such as phthalates, heavy metals, and artificial fragrances (check the ingredients in grooming products, fly sprays, and feeds)
Generally, horse allergies are not a reason to panic (there are rare instances where allergies CAN be life threatening but we’re not discussing that in this article). Most allergic reactions are seasonal and temporary, though uncomfortable and frustrating. Feeding FDD and NuTrack year-round is a great way to help give your horse a headstart against the bombardment of springtime allergens that are about to appear. Order your bundle TODAY!
All content is intended for informational purposes only, not to be taken as medical advice. Please consult with your veterinarian. Proudly written for Animal Element by the team at FaithHanan.com.
Resources:
- Bowen, Anna. “Do Horses Get Allergies?” James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Colorado State University. 28 August 2023. https://vetmedbiosci.colostate.edu/vth/animal-health/do-horses-get-allergies/
- Lambert, Annie. “On Allergy Alert.” Barrel Horse News. 30 January 2013. https://barrelhorsenews.com/barrel-racing-articles/horse-health/on-allergy-alert/
- Moriello, Karen. “Allergies in Horses,” Merck Veterinary Manual, Pet Owner Version. October 2019. https://www.merckvetmanual.com/horse-owners/skin-disorders-of-horses/allergies-in-horses
- Rudski, Shoshana. “Managing Your Horses Allergies.” Ask The Horse Podcast. 14 July 2022. https://thehorse.com/1114263/why-the-allergy-increase/
- Yang SN, et al. “The Effects of Environmental Toxins on Allergic Inflammation.” Allergy Asthma Immunol Res. 2014 Nov;6(6. Epub 15 October 2014. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4214967/
