When to Walk a Horse with Colic
It was once believed that walking your horse during a bout of colic was the best course of action and that not walking and letting your horse roll could lead to torsions and twisting guts. A lot of modern science has taught us that there are many colic myths – one being that rolling causes torsions (it doesn’t) and two, that walking a colicky horse is necessary. Sometimes, you don’t want to walk a horse with colic – it could make things worse.
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Colic in Horses – an Overview
- Equine colic is a generic term to describe abdominal pain, most often caused by digestive tract issues. As with any pain, your horse will tell you something is wrong with body language and their vital signs.
- There are many types of colic, some requiring surgery and others not. Excessive gas, obstructions, twists, and dehydrated fecal balls are all different reasons for colic pain.
- Causes of colic include gas, overeating, sugar overload, dehydration, sand in the belly, enteroliths, parasites like worms and bots, tumors, and more.
- You can manage many of these causes in the future to lessen the probability of a repeat event.
GI distress or not?
Colic signs
- Your horse shows pain in many ways, and the signs of colic often mimic signs of pain elsewhere, including laminitis and tying up. You may see:
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- Pawing or turning in circles as if about to lie down.
- Belly kicking or stomping with their hind legs.
- Some horses also
- An increase in your horse’s heart rate and sometimes respiratory rates.
- Sweating when they usually are not
- The flehmen response or yawning
- Restlessness
- Rolling and getting up again several times
- Biting at the flank
- Distended belly
- Change in gut sounds in any of the four quadrants
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Read more about colic signs and your horse’s temperature, pulse, and respiratory rates here.
How severe is colic?
- The severity of colic ranges from mild discomfort to life-threatening emergencies. Sometimes, cases of seemingly mild colic end in surgery, while other instances of colic appear devastating, and then your horse passes gas and is fine.
- Your horse’s gut sounds, vital signs, rectal exam results, and behaviors help your vet determine the best action. There are also situations when a horse can appear to worsen and then recover, or vice versa.
Checking vital signs and gut sounds can help you track progress.
What to do When You Notice Your Horse is Colicky
- The first thing to do is call your vet. Then, take your horse’s vitals and start tracking them.
- Remove food and water from your horse’s access.
- The “wait and see” method is not a great idea during a colic episode.
The Role of Walking in Colic Care
- Walking can benefit your horse, but it can also harm your horse. But maybe not as we once believed.
- Zippo, zero, nada evidence links rolling to twisted intestines. None at all.
Don’t overdo it
When you should walk a horse with colic
- Walk your horse when they need to move to a safer location. A rolling or thrashing horse may bang or cast themselves into another type of vet bill or serious injury.
- You can also walk your horse if your vet thinks the movement can stimulate gut motility, alleviate gas, and help impactions move.
- Walking may also alleviate some discomfort.
When walking is a bad idea
- Don’t walk your horse if they need rest. If your horse is already resting and seems as comfortable as they can be, whether they are standing or not, let them be.
- Don’t walk your horse if they put on the brakes. There is no benefit to forcing a horse to walk.
- Because laminitis and colic often show similar signs, walking a horse with laminitis only does harm.
- You should not walk a horse that is becoming distraught or aggressive with pain.
- Consider your vet’s guidance in deciding whether to walk or not. If your horse is a candidate for surgery, walking can create more problems.
Horse Colic First Aid
- After you have called the vet and removed food and water, you have some things to do.
- Administer pain relief medications according to your vet’s recommendations.
- Track their vital signs.
- Note their hydration and gum color by looking at and feeling their gums. Hydrated horses have slippery gums, while dehydrated horses have sticky or dry gums.
Colic doesn’t usually create a fever, but your horse’s temp and vitals help your vet track recovery and narrow down possible causes.
Track your horse’s behaviors and signs of colic
- Notice your horse’s surroundings. Does anything look out of the ordinary?
- Inspect your horse’s manure, and take a photo or two to compare it with future manure. Smaller, drier fecal balls or runny manure give your vet valuable information.
- Note how much water your horse has or has not been drinking.
- You may want to move your horse to an area with more room to amble or rest without getting cast.
What your vet may do
- Your vet will do a physical exam to assess your horse’s condition, including taking vital signs like heart rate to compare to your horse’s normal and what you have logged. Your vet may be able to discern what type of colic is happening. From there, they can recommend a trip to the equine hospital or treatment at home.
- Mineral oil, electrolytes, and water are sometimes given via a nasogastric tube. This stomach tube, which goes through the nose and down the esophagus, delivers hydration and medications while checking for reflux.
- A rectal exam can help identify torsions and manure traffic jams due to impaction colic.
- Medications that help with muscle spasms and gas can provide relief.
- You may never know the exact cause of the colic, but providing your vet with your observations and your horse’s daily habits can help.
Talk to your vet before giving meds.
Is walking a colicky horse good for all cases?
- No, but walking can benefit horses with certain types of colic, such as mild colic cases caused by gas or impaction. Your vet should recommend walking (or not) depending on what type and severity of distress your horse is in.
How often should I check on my horse after a colic episode?
- Continue to track your horse’s vital signs, gut sounds, and behaviors after a case of colic, including their water and food intake and output. Check on your horse’s pain level and symptoms of colic returning. Also, stay in contact with your vet. You may need to walk a horse with colic for a few days before riding again.
How can I adjust my horse’s diet to prevent future colic episodes?
- The risk of colic can be reduced with good management techniques. Feed your horse a forage-based diet and provide clean water. Use slow feeders for hay and concentrated meals and feed any feeds in small meals, frequently throughout the day.
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