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Let’s face it: Dealing with equine colic can be a nightmare - on your wallet, your horse’s performance and health, and yourself.
But if you have horses, there’s a good chance you’ll have to deal with it at some point. And you need to be prepared for what to do when it strikes.
Because excluding old age, colic is the number one cause of death for horses. It’s a word that strikes fear in the heart of owners.
But it doesn’t have to.
The majority of cases are mild and easily resolved. And if you know what to spot and how to treat it, your horse is almost guaranteed to come out unscathed.
First, what exactly is colic?
Colic is a general term for abdominal pain.
The pain could be caused by any number of things - from intestinal blockages to a lack of water intake or even sand ingestion from feed. The pain can also come from gastric ulcers and fatty tumors in your horse’s digestive tract.
Signs of Colic:
- The first signs that a horse is experiencing abdominal pain are subtle. And unless you’re watching your horse for long periods of time, you could miss it altogether.
- If your horse is constantly trying to scratch an itch on his back or stretching out its hindquarters, gastric issues could be the cause of that distress. Your horse may also keep camping out like it’s about to pee.
- Finally, as colic pain progresses, the horse might begin lying down and getting back up frequently. Some signs that the pain has become intolerable and need medical attention are more overt - and include kicking at the belly, sweating, increased heart rate, stretching, rolling, and other violent reactions.
Natural Remedy #1 Mineral Oil.
Veterinarians often treat colic by inserting a nasogastric tube and pumping mineral oil into the horse digestive tract to push out any impacted manure. However, owners should never attempt this on their own. The tube can easily end up in the lungs, leading to fatal pneumonitis.
The verdict: Don’t use it.
Natural Remedy #2 Baking Soda.
This is another ingredient some have tried to give as a horse colic preventative or remedy. However, baking soda isn’t likely to help because it breaks down in the stomach and won’t offer a buffering effect in the digestive system. It may not necessarily be harmful, but baking soda most likely won’t help in the treatment of colic.
The verdict: Don’t use it.
Natural Remedy #3 Beer.
Beer is another natural remedy for colic. While it’s not exactly dangerous to give your horse, it should never be relied on as the sole treatment method. In fact the only type of colic beer may, in fact, help with is spasmodic colic (due to beer’s ability to anesthetize and relax the gut muscles somewhat). But since most horse owners won’t know what type of colic their horse is experiencing, they can’t assume beer will take care of the digestive system problem.
The verdict: Don’t use it unless you know for sure what type of colic you’re dealing with.
The best course of action
If you suspect colic, contact a vet immediately.
And remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
So, consider these prevention tips:
- Feed a forage-based diet (based on hay or grass) and limit the amount of grain you feed.
- Make sure your horse always has fresh, clean water available.
- Allow your horse to get plenty of daily exercise with turnout and/or riding.
- Feed certain supplements such as probiotics to keep the gut functioning smoothly.
- When GI issues, like diarrhea, bloating, or gas, come up in your horse, having probiotics on hand allows you to act fast and even prevent them from surfacing. We actually recommend using a probiotic paste as your first line of defense.