Respiratory Supplements for Horses: How Better Breathing Powers Performance

Healthy airways are the engine of equine performance. When a horse can breathe freely, it can deliver sufficient oxygen to working muscles, clear metabolic waste efficiently and recover faster between efforts. That’s why respiratory supplements for horses - also called equine respiratory supplements or breathing supplements for horses - are increasingly part of smart stable management, from leisure hacks to top-level competition horse.

Below, we unpack when horse respiratory supplements are helpful, what they contain, how they work alongside good yard practices, and how to choose the best option for your horse.

Why Respiratory Health Matters for Performance

Every stride relies on oxygen. Even mild airway irritation (seasonal allergies, dust, pollen, stable ammonia, transport stress) can make breathing less efficient. Common knock-on effects include:

• Reduced stamina and slower recovery due to lower oxygen delivery
• Coughing or throat irritation, which wastes energy and disrupts rhythm
• Tight, shallow breathing, elevating heart rate for the same workload
• Loss of focus when breathing feels uncomfortable

Keeping the respiratory tract calm, clear, and resilient supports everything from warm-up relaxation to finishing power in a jump-off.

When to Consider Horse Respiratory Supplements

A supplement isn’t a substitute for veterinary care—but it can be a valuable addition to management changes when you notice:

• Intermittent coughs, especially at the start of work
• Nasal discharge, mild wheeze, or “noisy” breathing
• Slow recovery after routine exercise
• Seasonal environmental challenges (pollen peaks, indoor arenas, dusty bedding)
• Frequent travel, stabling, or yard renovations that kick up particulates

If you suspect equine asthma, COPD, heaves or persistent airway disease, involve your vet. Equine respiratory supplements are designed to help maintain day-to-day comfort and resilience, not to treat medical conditions.

What’s Inside Breathing Supplements for Horses (and Why)

Most horse respiratory supplements blend several evidence-informed ingredient types. Here’s what you’ll see on quality labels—and how each contributes:

1) Omega-3 (DHA and EPA) for Airway Resilience

DHA and EPA, ideally from sustainable algae, help modulate inflammatory pathways in the airways (as well as in joints). Studies on the effects of DHA and EPA on respiration in horses (particularly in relation to “bleeders” in racing) have been positive but at very high levels (13.5g per day combined DHA/EPA in the KER study), well above any levels included in respiratory supplements on the market – most likely due to the cost prohibition of including high levels of DHA in supplements. Beware of falling for clever marketing on the inclusion of ineffective, low levels of these ingredients.

2) Antioxidants to Maintain Healthy Lung Tissue

Exercise, dust and transport all generate oxidative stress. Vitamin E and plant polyphenols (e.g., grape seed, rosemary extract, green plant extracts) help neutralise free radicals, supporting the integrity of delicate respiratory tissues and maintaining healthy cells. Don’t forget that antioxidants exist naturally in a wide variety of plants and botanicals, the wider the array of natural plants you can include in your horse’s diet – the better.

3) Soothing Botanicals for Airway Comfort

Traditional botanicals such as liquorice, thyme, nettle, and peppermint are widely used to support natural mucus clearance and maintain a comfortable respiratory tract. While not medicines, they can be a gentle, useful daily aid for horses that react to environmental irritants.

4) Prebiotics and the Gut–Lung Axis

A growing body of research highlights links between the microbiome and respiratory resilience. Prebiotic fibres (e.g., MOS, FOS, chicory root inulin and many other natural plants) feed beneficial hindgut bacteria, supporting overall immune balance—a smart inclusion in modern equine respiratory supplements. Feeding a variety of prebiotic fibres to your horse will naturally support their hindgut microbiome diversity.

5) Practical Carriers and Palatability

A supplement only works if it’s eaten. Palatable formats, mild natural flavours, and clean carriers (not sticky syrups) help ensure consistent intake, especially for picky eaters.

How Horse Respiratory Supplements Fit with Good Management

Think of breathing supplements for horses as part of a much wider toolkit. Pair them with these yard habits for best results:

• Forage management: Steam or soak hay to reduce respirable particles.
• Bedding choice: Opt for low-dust options; avoid dry sweeping wherever possible when horses are inside.
• Ventilation: Fresh air matters—open vents, reduce ammonia build-up, maximise turnout.
• Training plan: Warm up gradually; allow the respiratory system to settle before asking for effort.
• Travel smarter: Ventilated lorries/trailers, water breaks and post-travel cool-down routines.
• Seasonal strategy: Expect pollen and indoor-arena “dust season”; start your support and management strategies early to avoid flare up’s and get maximum benefit from any respiratory supplements.

Choosing the Best Respiratory Supplements for Horses

Not all products are created equal. Use this checklist to compare equine respiratory supplements:

1. Transparent label & meaningful levels
   Steer clear of small serves - Less is definitely not more in this case!
2. Evidence-informed ingredients
   Antioxidant support and well-known airway botanicals are a strong foundation. Prebiotic fibres are a definite plus. Remember that there are strict rules around supplements not making medicinal claims, so whilst there may be no formal “evidence” available for herbal blends or ingredients, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence available to support their inclusion. Ask questions if you are not sure!
3. Palatability & format
   Natural flavours and a palatability guarantee indicate a likelihood your horse will happily tuck into that supplement! No one wants to waste money on products that don’t work because they contain insufficient levels of active ingredients OR that your horse won’t eat because they don’t like the taste!
4. Quality assurance
   For competition horses, choose NOPS-accredited and UFAS-aligned manufacturing to minimise contamination risk and support clean sport.
5. Compatibility with your daily feed ration
   Low-sugar, low-starch profiles pair well with performance and sensitive horses. Ensure the product complements your forage and any existing supplements. Ask the manufacturer if you are not sure.

What Results to Expect—and When

With the right horse respiratory supplement and environment, owners commonly report:

• Fewer start-of-session coughs or throat “clears”
• Smoother, quieter breathing during work
• More consistent effort and better post-exercise recovery
• Seasonal comfort in known trigger periods

Give any new supplement 2–4 weeks of consistent feeding while you keep other variables steady (forage, bedding, workload). Track changes in a simple log: coughing frequency, perceived effort, time-to-recover, and any environmental notes (pollen count, arena type).

FAQs: Equine Respiratory Supplements

Are respiratory supplements FEI-legal?
Always choose NOPS-accredited products and check ingredients against competition rules. Quality brands design with clean sport in mind. Ask if you are unsure! All Equell products (including our respiratory blend Equell UltraAir) are BETA NOPS accredited so you can use them with confidence in all disciplines, from dressage to showjumping, eventing and even racing. 

Can they help equine asthma?
Supplements can support day-to-day respiratory comfort, but asthma is a medical condition. Work with your vet on diagnosis and management, using supplements as part of a broader plan for nutritional support of the respiratory and immune systems.

Will a breathing supplement stop coughing completely?
The goal is comfort and resilience, not a cure. Reduce airborne irritants first (forage, bedding, ventilation); supplements provide additional support to these essential foundations. Watch out for ingredients like glycerine and molasses as these may simply mask the symptoms rather than aiding the root cause.

The Bottom Line

Breathing well is performing well. By combining respiratory supplements for horses built on antioxidants, airway-friendly botanicals and microbiome support - with dust-smart management, you can help your horse stay comfortable, focused, and consistent all year round.

Whether you’re hacking quietly or chasing seconds, a calmer, clearer airway makes every stride count. “Prevention is better than cure” – by making key changes in management and providing nutritional support to the respiratory system early – you can maximise both your horse’s comfort and their performance by ensuring their respiratory system is functioning optimally.

 

The Equell Team 1.9.25