My horse gets nosebleeds when ridden. What could be causing this?

They should not have blood in their windpipe and lungs and they should not have a nose bleed. This is called epistaxis and is caused by increased breathing strain. This makes little blood vessels burst and those bleed. Here is a great article: https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/horse-care/vet-advice/understanding-nosebleeds-in-racehorses-102865

Hi there. Poor Venice! It could be because of hay, that is true. More specifically the dust on hay that is breathed in while our horses eat can cause this (generally referred to as Heaves) . Respiratory conditions like COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), Equine Influenza, and Equine Herpes are possibilities as well, and all can come +/- nasal discharge. The first step at home would be more turn out time if at all possible, and other ways to decrease dust in your barn (soaking hay in water about 20-30 mins before feeding can help a lot) as well as feeding a good quality or vacuum packed hay. Hope this helps!

This sign could be compatible with an upper respiratory tract inflammation/infection or possibly to a chronic rhinitis (inflammatory, allergic, infective). A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Yes, you should call your vet out. Any cough and nasal discharge should be treated right away as it could turn chronic without treatment. Your horse likely has an infection and will require antibiotics and cough medicine.

A nose bleed could be due to a clotting disorder, high blood pressure, a nasal infection or a nasal tumor. A tooth root abscess could also cause a nose bleed, and I could see how a tooth root abscess might bleed mainly during eating. Any of the other diseases would still be possible as well. Unfortunately I don’t think there is anything specific to do to prevent the nosebleeds from occurring without addressing the underlying cause. You should keep Pirate quiet and calm and could try elevating his food.

This is very concerning, and Luna could have injured her nose, may have a foreign body in there, a severe upper respiratory infection, a fungal infection, or a growth causing this bleeding. You need to take her into a vet now to have this diagnosed and treated.

Poor Wrigley. My first thought is a clotting disorder. If this has not been investigated I would recommend having this checked. Also she should be checked for fungal diseases such as blastomycosis (based off of your region). You could also take her to an internal medicine specialist to have them evaluate her. A CT would be recommended if all of these tests come back normal. They would be looking for a defect or mass in her sinuses. I hope you get some answers for her.