10 Steps to Preventing Horse Colic
Colic is the single most important horse disease. It causes more horse fatalities than any other illness and even when horses fully recover it is the single biggest cause of major veterinary expenses. It can also cause other illnesses such as lminitis or founder.
Colic is not a single illness but rather a group of related illnesses affecting the digestive system. As such, there are many different types of horse colic and various different causes. Extensive research, covering thousands of case studies, has identified the main causes of the various types of colic. Following is a list of actions to avoid the primary causes of colic and thereby greatly reduce the risk of your horse developing colic.
1) Feeding Frequency. Horses naturally eat small amounts throughout the day. A small number of feedings (e.g. 1 or 2 times per day) is inadequate for digestive system health. Provide lots of pasture time or feed frequently.
2) High-Volume Foods. Horses have evolved on high-volume and high-fiber foods such as grass. Although one can feed energy-dense foods such as grain or musli, they should not be the main component of the horse’s diet. When feeding both hay and grain, the hay should be first and then the grain, as this results in better digestion and reduced bolting of food.
3) Soak Pellets. Pelleted food (e.g. hay pellets) should be soaked before feeding. This prevents bolting and choke. In addition, unsoaked pellets can greatly expand when they enter the stomach, resulting in bloating.
4) Protect Feed. Horses sometimes get into a feedroom and eat excessive quantities of food. Especially in the case of grain and related feeds, this can result in colic. It can also result in laminitis. Keeping the feedroom locked or using a horse-proof latch is wise.
5) Correct Bolting. A horse which bolts (swallows without chewing) its food is more prone to colic, as well as other illnesses (e.g. ulcers, choke). This may be due to medical problems (e.g. dental) or simply a bad habit. Explore possible corrective actions with your vet.
6) Sand and Dirt. Make sure that your horse does not ingest sand or dirt, as this can result in impaction colic. Do not feed them on top of sandy or dirt surfaces. Avoid over-grazed pastures.
6) Water. Ensure that the horse has access to water at all times. During winter, horses will often not drink enough if the water is too cold so one may need to warm the water. After exercise, limit the amount of water the horse drinks before it cools down.
7) De-worming. Horses should be de-wormed regularly (every 3-4 months). All the horses which share a pasture should be de-wormed at the same time to prevent cross-infection. If a horse has not been de-wormed for a long time, use a laxative a few days before to clear out the worst of the worm population before administrating a de-wormer medication.
Exercise. Horses which are regularly exercised or that have natural exercise through pasture access are less likely to have colic. When starting an exercise regime or sport, changes should be made gradually as a rapid increase in the amount or intensity of exercise may cause colic.
9) Eating Bedding. Many horses eat bedding, particularly straw bedding. If your horse ingests a large amount of bedding, especially inedible beddings (such as wood shavings), change to a bedding type which they don’t eat.
10) Cold. Although horses can tolerate a fair amount of cold, if they become chilled (drop in body temperature) they are likely to develop colic. This is particularly likely to occur when there is a sudden drop in temperature after a relatively mild period. Avoid these by allowing your horse to develop a winter coat and/or protecting it with a rug. Especially during wet and windy weather, the horse should be protected from excessive cold.
This Horse Colilc article was written by Dr. Doug Stewart. At Horse Health other articles by the same author can be found.
categories: horse,horses,equine,colic,horse colic
