Weird nasally breathing with my horse?

My Horse is breathing funny.....?

• my 13 year old Quarter horse has been breathing weird. he will breath fast for 10 - 15 seconds then stop breathing for about 10 - 15 seconds and when hes not breathing i hear like a dripping noise and then he will breath normally and he will do this at random times. hes been doing this for 3 weeks. has anyone heard of this?? should i take him the the vet? What should i do? hes not being ridden and he just stays in the pasture and ill walk him around the yard. but hes retired.

• Answer:

  He stops breathing? And has for 3 weeks? And you haven't called a vet yet? Are you waiting on him to fall over dead? I'm usually not the person to immediately tell someone to call a vet because the horse flicked an ear wrong, because a good horse person should be able to tell if a situation is serious or if it can be dealt with (at least initially) at home. However, any ailment that restricts/interferes with a horse's breathing has the potential to be extremely serious, and you have no way of knowing without taking him to the vet. I've known/currently know of several horses who have COPD, which interferes with breathing, and even it--which isn't an uncommon problem--can be dangerous if it isn't managed. And if your horse has something even more serious wrong (damage to something internal, a blockage, etc.), his chances of survival are going to decrease if you don't intervene. Just because he's retired and isn't working doesn't mean you should let him suffer...we're not talking about an arthritic horse who just gets a little stiff. Take him to the vet. If it IS serious and you don't want to deal with it or it isn't worth it to you since he isn't being used, then euthanasia is a kinder option than letting him suffocate because he can't breathe. And if it isn't serious, then great, and you'll know what to do. Also, as for the riding (which needs to wait until you fix this other problem), it sounds like he's mostly just lazy. If he's going to throw a huge fit just because you have spurs or a whip, he's not hurting so bad he can't move...he's just figured out that you won't make him go, so he won't. He may have some soreness issues, but those can most likely be managed. It doesn't sound like they are the reason for his behavior, and I know several horses with stifle problems, too. Of course, if you don't take him to a vet and figure out WHY he isn't breathing normally, he might not be around to ride next spring.