Boo random nosebleeds!
Hi guys, hoping the great brains of this forum can help with a random nosebleed question!
I work with a 20 year/old Appy/Warmblood therapy horse who's been popping a random nosebleed this summer. Last summer, he had maybe two all season, and only after a very intense workout. Non-chunky blood came out of one nostril for maybe 10 minutes, and his nasal walls were a little red and moist on the inside (he has pale spotted skin in his nose).
This year, he's had 4-5 nosebleeds of the same intensity, except this morning, he did it before being worked, which he has never done. His nasal walls were pink and moist as well, which I've only ever seen him after exercise. He's not a "blowy" horse that has to clear himself out in the beginning of exercise by sneezing, nor does he have a cough. It's been horribly humid but not too hot this summer (Eastern PA), but he's always seemed to to better in the heat than the cold anyway.
Any ideas as to what may be causing this, or is it just one of those things that some horses are blessed with? He leads a pretty easy life as a therapy horse, with 1-2 hours of walk/trot lessons 5 days a week, and 2 days of schooling walk/trot/canter, turnout all night in the summer, and all day in the winter.
Pics of the boy in question:
(Yes, his butt really is that big...)
On a totally unrelated note, I'm such a proud mama that I can't help pimping another horse's success! Ebony Boy, the oldest therapy horse in our string at 28, has just one his region's NARHA Therapy Horse of the Year award. Go old man, go!!
Ebs is a perfect gentleman, and he's the horse that made me fall in love with Walkers. And he's had a trach for 3 years and is rocking with it! Best. Horse. Ever.
Thanks in advance for any advice you guys might have about the nosebleeder!