Horse Allergies – Symptoms and Treatments

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.

Horse dander (essentially dandruff) is the most common source of horse allergies. However, people can be allergic to urine, salvia or even horse mites. There are at least five different horse proteins which can be allergic agents.

It is not uncommon for people to have an allergic reaction without being near a horse, through indirect contact. For example, if you enter a barn or other enclosed space where horses have been, one can come into contact with allergic agents even though the horses are not present at the time. Likewise, if a family member rides or works with horses, it is possible to have a reaction upon exposure to clothes or tack which they bring home which are carrying bits of allergic agents (e.g. dander).

Fortunately, horse allergies can be treated, using the same approaches as for other allergies. These include avoidance (if practical and acceptable), medications (such as anti-histamines or corticosteroids), or desensitizing treatment.

If you want to ride but find that your allergies are making this difficult, you may want to try riding a ‘curly horse’ breed. Many people who suffer from horse allergies 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.