It was announced this week that vets are seeing an increased rate in colic due to the cold weather.
I have quickly put together some tips below to help you prevent your horse from being at risk of suffering from this awful condition that can be potentially dangerous if untreated.
Firstly, what is colic?
Unfortunately horses cannot not vomit to get rid of toxins or indigestible food, so if he gets an upset stomach there is no where for the food to go.
What can cause colic?
There is probably too many factors to mention that can cause colic but below is a list of the most common
- Poor feeding
- Cold weather (see below)
- Stress after hard exercise, travelling or sudden change in routine
- Un-soaked suger beet.
- Too much food
- Poor and over-grazed pasture
- Digestive disorder.
- Horses are less likely to consume as much water in colder weather than they would when the temperature isn't so low. This can simply be because they aren't as thirsty or due to their water troughs freezing over. Keep an eye on how much water your horse is intaking - if you do not feel it is enough then encourage him to drink more by adding a little cordial to make it more appealing.- In this weather horses spend an increased amount of time in their stable. Try and at least walk your horse around by hand or turn him out, even for 15 minutes. The digestive system depends on body movement to help push food along. This can cause an impaction. When your horse is out in the field he will spend a lot of time moving about finding different areas to graze in. My vet told me horses will take thousands of steps when out in the field but if they are stuck in their stable this dramatically decreases to only roughly a hundred steps.
- When the temperature decreases dramatically some horse owners feel the need to increase feeding amounts to "keep their horse warm". Don't increase mixes and hard feed as this could cause a compaction. If you feel the need to increase any then include roughages such as hay - they do not produce the carbohydrate overload than can trigger endotoxemia; a toxin is reflected in colic and laminitis.
- Ensure only yourself or at most two or three people care for your horse on a daily basis. Too many people with different regimes and feeding amounts can cause colic.
- Allow as much turnout as possible. Even in snowy conditions you can put him out for 15 minutes and it will allow him to walk around naturally.
- Don't feed mouldy food. Haylage is especially known for going mouldy if left open and unused for too long. If you haven't used your haylage up in four days, discharge it.
How will I know if my horse has colic?
Different horses will show signs of colic in different ways. No two horses are the same, however if you know your horse well then you will know when he is off colour and not right.
- Pawing at the ground
- Sweating
- Looking round at his belly
- Restlessness
- Lack of appetite
- Stamping of the feet
- Lying down
- Bloated
- Kick Violently
- Lie down and get up frequently
- Have an elevated respiration rate
- Have few or no gut sounds
If you suspect your horse has colic then do not hesitate to contact your vet immediately. Colic can be fatal and sometimes can go unnoticed.
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