Specific causes of colic include:
Diet and Dietary Changes
Water is essential to keep bowels functioning smoothly. Make sure the horse has adequate, fresh water at all times.
Check the protein level of his diet. A diet high in protein contributes to colic because equine stomachs are designed to exist primarily on roughage. There are many varieties of nutrient-dense pellets and grains on the market, but those should constitute 40% or less of the diet; the rest should be roughage. Also remember the rule: Exercise level should determine the grain/pellet level. A weekend horse needs far less protein-rich food than an eventing horse that works out every day.
Feed high quality hay: stemmy or mature hay is too rough and dry. Conversely, be mindful of horses turned out on lush grass; it can be too wet, and many pastured horses like to have some dry hay to balance them out.
If your horse rushes to eat his daily grain or pellet supplement, slow him down: There are masks designed to encourage slow eating (below), you can put large smooth rocks in his grain to slow him down, feed grain in a shallow container so he has to work to get at it, and divide the grain feeding into two or three servings a day. A horse cannot vomit so if you find a horse that has gorged, seek immediate medical attention.
Sudden changes in diets, either in type of food or time of feeding, can cause colic. Maintain a rigid schedule. Horses will get stressed out if their feeding time changes from day to day or is suddenly hours late.
Exercise – Both Too Much and Too Little
The horse was made to be in motion. A horse that can move around freely while he grazes will be healthier and less in danger of colic. Movement stimulates the bowels and prevents intestinal twisting. If you can arrange turnout on a daily basis for several hours (6-8 would be ideal, more is even better), it is highly recommended.
Conversely, suddenly plunging your horse into a rigorous exercise program can cause stress and stomach tightening and torsion. Always build slowly with an exercise program.
Cooling down after exercise of any level is essential. Do not allow your horse to drink more than one liter of lukewarm water after intense riding (preferably less), and keep walking him to slowly cool him down.
Stress and Disease
Colic can arise out of parasitic infection, so make sure to calendar dates for deworming and stick to them. If you have a horse who has gone untreated a long time, do not try to do all the deworming at once. Proceed slowly to remove the parasites so that they themselves do not cause blockage.
Stress is a problem that can cause many health problems in a horse, including colic. Ever been stressed out and your stomach tightened? For the horse, it’s ten times worse. Study your horse and make sure that his emotional and physical needs are being taken care of in order to diminish stress in his life. He should have a stall or pasture buddy at all times, if not together where they can engage in mutual grooming, then at least in sight. Access to quality roughage he can nibble for many hours per day (12 or more) makes a horse happy. A regular schedule also reduces stress.
Pregnancy
Mares can be predisposed to colic while in foal and shortly after giving birth. Due to extra room in the abdominal cavity after birth, the intestines can get twisted. Pay extra attention to the mare’s needs as listed above and work out a nutritional schedule with your vet.
Prevention clues
• Avoid the causes listed above.
• A diet high in roughage (grass and quality hay) nibbled at normal speed can keep colic at bay. Obtain daily turnout in pasture if at all possible so the horse can move while he eats.
• Never leave grain or pellets in an area where a horse can get to them and gorge at will.
• Make sure your horse is not eating his bedding.
• Make sure water is being drunk (10-12 gallons a day). Add something sweet like molasses if your horse refuses water; they sometimes prefer water from home so make sure when you’re out at events or on holiday together that he is drinking his water.
• Follow the one-hour rule: No food within one hour of exercise – before and after.
• Do not try to diagnose the cause of the colic yourself. Remove water and food and have a vet come out at first sign of colic.
Preventing Colic in Horses | Understanding Equine Nutrition |
