How to Prevent Equine Colic

"Equine colic" is an umbrella term referring to any painful blockage of a horse's digestive system: stomach, large intestine, small intestine and colon. The treatment of colic is dependent upon where in the digestive system it occurs, the cause and the severity. Severe colic can sometimes only be treated with surgery, an expensive and dangerous solution. Therefore, prevention--being proactive rather than reactive--is a much preferable (and healthier) course of action.

Things You'll Need

  • Good feed
  • Water
  • Pasture
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Instructions

    • 1

      Help your horse maintain optimum health. The best way to prevent colic in your horse is to keep it healthy. Make sure it is a good weight for its size (not too fat), and that it keeps to a schedule of regular deworming and has its teeth floated every year.

    • 2

      Provide constant clean and fresh water. Horses can (and should) drink up to 10 gallons of water a day. Make sure your horse always has access to lots of clean, fresh water.

    • 3

      Make food changes gradually. If you are going to change your horse's feed, start with a ratio of 3/4 old feed to 1/4 new feed. Slowly increase the new feed and decrease the old feed every two or three days until the new feed has been assimilated. This can prevent an impaction of the large intestine because the animal's system has a chance to become accustomed to the new fare.

    • 4

      Go as natural as possible. Give your horse as much access to pasture foraging as you can to prevent stomach ulcers.

    • 5

      Lock up the good stuff. Make sure your horse cannot get into the sweet feed/grain bin and "pig out" when you're not looking, as too much of a good thing is a common cause of equine colic. A separate room or barn stall with a latching door or bins that have been horse-proofed will save your horse a lot of pain and you a lot of veterinary bills.