Colic in horses

Colic is a general term for abdominal pain in horses and ponies. A horse with abdominal pain can be recognized by a horse that looks at or kicks its belly a lot, rolls a lot, sweats, walks crookedly, scrapes with its front legs, and/or swishes its tail excessively. Did you know that there are different types of colic in horses?

Different types of colic

Many people think that colic only has to do with the digestive tract. However, this is incorrect, the cause of colic can lie both within and outside the digestive tract. We have listed the most common types of colic:

• Gas colic Gas colic is caused by (as the name suggests) excessive gas production in the intestines. Excessive gas production occurs because a horse consumes too many sugars that are not fully digested in the first phase of digestion. These sugars then end up in the second phase of digestion which cannot digest them, leading to gas formation. Sugars are found in roughage (spring and autumn grass) as well as concentrates.

• Spasmodic colic

Spasming of the intestines is the cause of spasmodic colic. This is the most common form of colic. Spasmodic colic can be caused by various reasons: changes in diet, eating a lot before or after work, drinking a lot of cold water, or after a hard workout where the horse has sweated a lot. In specific cases, a worm infection can also be the cause.

• Sand colic

Sand colic is caused by excessive ingestion of sand. A little sand is harmless, but sometimes you see horses licking sand in the paddock. When too much sand accumulates in the intestines, it can cause colic. Do you see your horse eating/licking sand? Give him phyllium fibers.

• Impaction colic

An impaction in the intestine can be the cause of colic in horses. This form of colic is often seen when horses are put in stables after a grazing season. They easily digested grass in the pasture, but now they have limited roughage and less movement. As a result of limited roughage, they eat the bedding to satisfy their chewing needs. This form of colic is also seen in horses with poor dental health and therefore do not chew well.

• Colic due to twists / changes in position of the intestines

There is no specific cause for a twist in the intestine. Due to the fact that the intestines of horses are 'loose' in the abdomen, a twist is possible.

Colic sensitivity in horses

Some horses are more sensitive to colic than others. This is usually related to a digestive system (intestines) that works less effectively. A supplement that supports digestion can help. Additionally, it is advisable to have a lot of regularity and make changes slowly for colic-sensitive animals. Provide enough grazing and exercise.