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exercise can reduce colic in horses

Reducing the risks of colic in horses

15 November 2024

Colic is something that all horse owners dread. This week is 'Colic Awareness Week' and our Feed Line have some tips to reduce the risks of a colic episode occurring...
 
  • Make ANY changes gradually be that their feed, forage (hay/haylage) or routine. This ensures their digestive system can adapt to the new feed ingredients, different blend of grass types, more/less physical movement or a diet with an overall higher or lower dry matter intake.
  • Promote movement as much as possible via daily turnout, exercise and getting stabled horses out for frequent walks in hand or on the long lines. You can also spread forage or feed out in smaller piles spaced further apart to prevent them standing still in one place for too long.
  • Feed plenty of forage to keep their digestive system working effectively and to act as a central heating system. Horses stood around not eating are likely to get cold and appear tucked up, increasing their risk of digestive pain. Offer warm feeds, move them out of the worst of the weather and keep a particularly close eye on them if they are not eating/drinking normally.
  • Feed very well dampened or ideally soaked feeds, making them as wet as your horse will tolerate, especially if they are disinclined to drink in cold weather. You can also consider adding PuraBeet which is 80% water when fed and well suited to most horse types.
  • Use warm water to take the chill out of very cold buckets and always check field troughs for ice; breaking and removing this on frozen mornings.
  • Don’t delay in calling the vet at the earliest signs of colic as the condition can progress very rapidly. If you are leaving your horse in the care of someone else for a winter holiday or over Christmas, make sure your vet and insurance company details are to hand as well as emergency transport contacts if they may need to go to hospital.
  • Make a plan beforehand of what treatment you are happy for your horse to receive should the worst happen – are you happy for them to be hospitalised on a drip or even have surgery and make sure anyone taking care of your horse is made aware of this if you cannot be contacted. 
 
For feeding advice, our Feed Line can be contacted on 01728 604 008 or by completing our online form. To browse our range of forage pellets for soaking please click here.
 

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