Horse Digestive Health: Preventing Colic and Supporting Gut Welfare

Colic — abdominal pain in horses — is the leading cause of death in horses under 10 years. Evidence-based digestive health management prevents many colic episodes and supports long-term equine welfare.

Key Facts

Colic affects approximately 10% of horses per year, with surgical cases carrying 10-30% mortality even with treatment
Sand accumulation in the hindgut causes recurrent sand colic in horses grazing on sandy soils — preventable with management
Sudden feed changes, particularly introduction of lush grass, are major colic triggers
Horses evolved to graze 16-18 hours daily — feeding 2-3 large meals of hay per day creates gastric acid surge between meals
Parasites, particularly large strongyles, were historically a primary colic cause — now managed by strategic deworming
Post-surgical colic horses require careful rehabilitation management — refeeding after intestinal surgery is a welfare-critical period
Horses with chronic recurrent colic episodes often have identifiable management-correctable causes — investigation is valuable

Welfare Considerations

Colic welfare represents both acute suffering from painful colic episodes and the chronic welfare cost of management systems that predispose horses to colic. A horse experiencing acute spasmodic or obstructive colic is in significant distress — the abdominal pain produces unmistakable signs including pawing, rolling, looking at flanks, and sweating. Emergency veterinary care is essential, and appropriate pain management during assessment and treatment is critical. Prevention is far preferable: management systems that maximize forage access, minimize sudden feed changes, maintain appropriate parasite management, ensure adequate water availability, and provide regular exercise and turnout significantly reduce colic risk. The relationship between management and colic risk is so strong that high colic rates in a horse population are diagnostic of management system problems worth investigating.

What You Can Do

Maximize forage access — hay should be available as close to continuously as possible
Never make sudden feed changes — transition between hay types, concentrates, or pasture gradually over 7-14 days
Ensure adequate water access — horses drink 20-30 liters daily and more in hot weather or during exercise
Implement strategic deworming based on fecal egg counts rather than routine calendar-based treatment
Maintain regular exercise and turnout — sedentary horses have higher colic rates than those with regular activity
Know colic recognition signs and have your veterinarian's emergency number readily available