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Horse owners cringe at the mention of the word, “colic”. Colic is the number one cause of death for horses.

Colic is abdominal pain that occurs when there are gastrointestinal tract upsets. It is not a disease or illness, it is a condition.

Owners need to be aware of the symptoms of colic so that they can understand what is happening to their horse early on, when there is still time for medical attention.

Symptoms to look for include a horse that is rolling around, kicking at his abdomen, or lying down more than is usual or who appears restless, may be sweating, or have an increased rate of breathing.

Some horses may react in an almost violent way to abdominal pain. If you notice any of these symptoms, keep the horse in his stall and do not give him any feed or water. Call the vet immediately.

There are several types of colic including displacement or torsion colic, gastric rupture, enteritis or colitis, impaction, spasmodic, and gas.

Displacement is when an intestine is placed in an unnatural position. Torsion is when the intestine is twisted. These two conditions are very similar and are highly fatal. They both require immediate surgical intervention to save the horse’s life.

Gastric rupture is when the horse’s stomach expands due to overeating. The horse is not designed to be able to vomit, so when he overeats he cannot vomit the excess food. The stomach when pushed past its limits can rupture. This kind of rupture is fatal.

Enteritis/colitis is when the small or large intestine swells due to an inflammation. This causes great discomfort for the horse. A vet should be notified immediately so treatment can be administered.

Impaction is a partial or full blockage that happens in the intestines. When medical intervention occurs the conditions clears.

Spasmodic colic occurs when the intestines contract in abnormal, quick and strong fashion. The cause is usually parasites. The condition is very uncomfortable for the horse. If the vet is contacted immediately, the condition can be treated.

Gas can cause the intestines to expand a little bit and is a little uncomfortable, but is relieved when the gas is passed. Usually no treatment is needed.

The fatal types of colic have the same symptoms as the other types of colic so it is important to treat all cases as if they were the fatal type.

Typical symptoms of colic:

• You may notice the horse lying down and then getting up, and then lying down again
• The horse bends its head and neck towards his abdomen. When doing this horse may bite at his gut
• Repeated pawing of the ground
• The horse tries to kick his abdominal area
• He rolls around on the ground
• You notice a decrease in the normal amount of manure from the horse
• He curls his upper lip, may sweat profusely, or breathe rapidly

Remove all food and water from the horse and immediately call the vet.

Let the vet know about any unusual behavior, eating habits, or change in manure amounts. You may need to check the horse’s temperature (do not do if the horse is acting violent), pulse, and capillary refill time (press fingers against the horse’s gum, release and count the seconds until the gum returns to normal color).

You want to prevent your horse from rolling around on the ground, so try to walk your horse slowly until the vet arrives. Try to keep the horse calm. Keep him away from loud noises. Do not overexert your horse. Do not stress the horse in any way.

Your vet will examine the horse and determine which type of colic he has. An appropriate treatment will be started if there is one for the type of colic your horse has.

Preventing Colic:

Every horse should be on a regular feeding schedule.

Half of a horse’s diet should consist of hay or forage. There should be more hay and water than grain. Avoid feeding excessive amounts of grain to your horse. If it is necessary to make any feed changes make sure to gradually make the change.

Avoiding intestinal parasites by keeping your horse up to date on his immunizations will also help to prevent colic.

Colic that is caught early can be treated and your horse’s life saved. Horse’s can survive colic and go on to live a long and happy life.

Previous Articles By This Author

• Buying Your First Horse
• Equipment for Horses
• Basics of Horse Care
• Grooming your Horse
• The History of Horses