How to Deal with Horse Allergies
Some people are allergic to horses. Depending on the person, this can result in a combination of the following symptoms: – Watery or itchy eyes – Runny or itchy nose – Hives, rashes or itchy skin – Coughing or sneezing – Breathing difficulties – Asthma
The severity of these symptoms can range from a minor runny nose to a serious asthma attack. In the case of asthma sufferers, care should be taken when first coming into contact with horses, as there have been a few cases of fatal asthma attacks. This is doubly true for asthmatic children, who in the excitement of being with horses may not notice the early symptoms, so they should be monitored by an adult when first encountering horses to ensure that they do not have a serious adverse reaction.
The most common cause of horse allergies is horse dander (bits of hair and skin which flake off, like dandruff). Other common causes include horse mites, urine and even horse salvia.
It is possible to have an allergic reaction without being near a horse, through indirect contact. For example, if one has a friend or family member who rides, horse dander may have rubbed off onto their clothes or hair or horse tack which they bring home. There are a number of cases where one family member rides horses, resulting in another family member having allergic reactions or asthma due to contact with clothing or equipment which the rider brings home. Similarly, going into a barn or other enclosed area where horses have been can result in a reaction event if no horses are present at the time.
Horse allergies can be easily treated, using the same methods as for other allergies. These include medication, desensitizing treatment or simple avoidance.
If you want to ride horses but find that allergies are making this difficult (or less enjoyable), another approach is to try riding a ‘curly horse’ breed. Many people who are allergic to other breeds of horses find that they have little or no reaction with these breeds.
Another approach is to find out which aspect of the horse you are allergic to (by trial-and-error, or by being medically tested) and then simply avoiding this aspect. For example, if one is allergic to horse mites, reducing their population by treating the horse and its box against mites may resolve the issue. Likewise, if one is allergic only to horse salvia or urine, take care to avoid these specific elements.
The article Allergy to Horses was written by Doug Stewart, as part of his series on Horse Care.
Filed under: Allergies