| The boarded horse lives a different lifestyle | | | | veterinarian. You will then need to catch |
| than those who live at their owner's home or | | | | the horse and keep him walking. Walking will |
| are turned out to pasture. These horses | | | | keep the horses gut moving and keep him from |
| often live in stalls and may or may not have | | | | rolling. Horses who roll viscously may be |
| runs. They may spend their days inside and | | | | causing themselves more problems. Rolling |
| their only exercise may be an hour of riding | | | | will cause the intestines of the horse to |
| or turnout time. Many horses are able to | | | | twist and tangle. Many horses have been lost |
| adapt to this lifestyle very well if they | | | | to twisted guts as they cause pressure build |
| were raised in this manner as foals. Horses | | | | up from internal gases and eventually |
| who have been turned out their whole life and | | | | something will give. |
| then are put in a stall may not adjust so | | | | |
| well. These horses may also have an increase | | | | There are generally two treatments for horses |
| chance in developing colic. | | | | that do not require colic surgery. Horses |
| | | | will be given an injection of Banamine. If |
| Colic is a broad term that generally means | | | | your barn has Banamine on hand, you can call |
| that the horse has a stomachache. The | | | | your veterinarian and ask him if you can give |
| horse's digestive system is very unique in | | | | this to your horse and how much. Banamine |
| that their stomachs are unusually small for | | | | causes the smooth muscle in the stomach to |
| their size. The natural lifestyle of the | | | | calm and not contract. This will relieve |
| horse has been changed drastically over the | | | | much of the pain that the horse is feeling. |
| past one hundred years. Horses were designed | | | | The horse is usually injected and walked |
| by nature to stay in pasture and constantly | | | | until the no longer attempt to lie down and |
| graze throughout the day. Instead we have | | | | roll. This procedure, however, may take |
| brought our horses in from the pastures and | | | | hours and many people have been known to walk |
| put them in stalls. We then continue to feed | | | | horses all night long. The second method is |
| them the same amount of grain concentrate | | | | to use mineral oil down the horse's throat |
| that they receive while they are working or | | | | and into the gut. The oil will cause the |
| not. We also provide them with a flake or | | | | horses system to flush out all of the built |
| two of hay. They receive their ration twice | | | | up concentrate that is causing the horse to |
| a day. Horses were not designed to eat these | | | | colic. These horses may also be injected |
| two large meals per day. Horses also do not | | | | with Banamine and walked until the no longer |
| have a sense of being full, which contributes | | | | show signs of colic. |
| to most colic cases where horses have broken | | | | |
| into feed rooms. The boarded horse has been | | | | To avoid colic in horses, horses should be |
| able to adjust to these large meals despite | | | | allowed to have ample water that is clean and |
| his small stomach, but many still have | | | | fresh. They should also be allowed to munch |
| difficulties. | | | | on hay all day if they are going to be |
| | | | stalled. Horses that receive two large meals |
| Boarded horses usually experience colic | | | | per day should also be allowed hay during the |
| because of one or two reasons. The first is | | | | day if possible. If possible, it is best |
| that the horse is having a hard time | | | | that horses have their concentrate amount |
| adjusting to his new stall life from one in a | | | | split up into four or five small meals per |
| pasture. He is fed two large meals per day | | | | day, unfortunately many barns are not able to |
| and this is shocking his system. He is | | | | provide this service. Owners may choose to |
| unable to properly digest this large amount | | | | invest in automatic feeders that will |
| of feed in such a short time period when he | | | | dispense a small amount of feed at specific |
| is designed to eat small meals throughout the | | | | times. There are also automatic feeders for |
| day. These large meals basically result in | | | | hay flakes. In pasture, horses should have |
| overloading his small stomach and killing the | | | | plenty of short grass. Horses will tend to |
| helpful bacteria that exist in his hindgut. | | | | not eat tall grass and may starve themselves. |
| The other reason for colic is that the horse | | | | If the grass is limited, owners should |
| has managed to break into a feed room or feed | | | | provide horses with round bales. Horses |
| storage area. Because the horse is unable to | | | | should also not be allowed to roam free in |
| have the feeling of "fullness," he will | | | | barns where the feed is readily stored unless |
| continue to eat the tasty sweet feed until he | | | | they are locked with a padlock or combination |
| is very ill. | | | | locks. Many horses have found ways to unclip |
| | | | locks and break into feed containers. Horses |
| There are a few major signs of colic that one | | | | should also receive ample exercise to insure |
| should look for in an ill horse. The horse | | | | that their bowels are moving properly. |
| may roll continuously. He will get up and | | | | |
| get down and roll over and over. He will | | | | As a responsible owner, it is common courtesy |
| also look back or kick at his belly because | | | | to notice any abnormal changes in fellow |
| it hurts. They may also result in a fever. | | | | boarders horses as well as your own. If you |
| Extreme cases of colic will also make a horse | | | | see anything that is slightly odd or |
| founder and he will appear to be sitting back | | | | different you are better off alerting the |
| on his hind feet. He will try not to put any | | | | barn manager and owners. The situation may |
| pressure on his front feet because they are | | | | turn out to be nothing, but you are better |
| hot and hurting. These horses will need | | | | safe than sorry. Your horse will soon become |
| immediate medical attention. Severe cases of | | | | a beloved part of your family and you will |
| colic have resulted in the deaths of many | | | | want to insure his safety and health at all |
| horses. When you find a horse that is | | | | times. |
| colicking, you should first alert a | | | | |