Understanding and preventing one of the most painful conditions in domestic horses
Colic — abdominal pain in horses — is the leading medical cause of equine death and one of the most significant welfare emergencies in companion and working horses worldwide. Approximately 10% of horses experience colic each year; 1-2% of cases require surgery; overall case fatality rate is 1-2%. Given a global domestic horse population of approximately 60 million, this represents hundreds of thousands of potentially preventable suffering events annually.
The pain experienced during severe colic is extreme — horses roll violently, sweat profusely, attempt to bite their abdomen, and may self-injure. Rapid pain assessment and analgesia is a welfare emergency.
The Composite Pain Scale for Horses and Horse Grimace Scale are validated tools for objective colic pain assessment. Key behavioral indicators: pawing, looking at flank, rolling, inability to stand, sweating, and abnormal posture. Vital signs (heart rate above 60 bpm indicates significant pain) and gut sounds inform severity assessment. Early veterinary intervention prevents pain prolongation and reduces complications.
Many colic risk factors are directly welfare-manageable: