Before I go into this column on my opinion about the legalization of clenbuterol (trade name Ventipulmin), I want everyone to know I am personally prejudiced in this area of discussion. Clenbuterol is a legal drug for horses with airway constriction. The smooth muscles surrounding the small airways constrict in some horses–ranging from very mild to chronic heaves–causing them to struggle to breathe normally. My daughter has asthma. The smooth muscles in her small airways constrict, causing her to struggle to breathe (ranging from very mild to not so very mild; in other words, scary to a mother).

While I have never had a horse with small airway disease, I think I can pretty clearly understand what that horse is going through. In mild cases, he sometimes is fine, worsening when weather, environmental conditions, or physical stress and exercise compromise his respiratory system. In severe cases, he stands and his whole being is focused on trying to get enough oxygen to keep his body alive.

Research has shown that environmental conditions are extremely important to respiratory disease. In other words, cleaning up a horse’s environment will help, and keeping horses in environments with poor air quality and ventilation will increase problems. It’s as simple as that