Horse health - How to prevent horse colic?
 The
risk of colic can be reduced by carefully using a good parasite control
program and reducing stress on your horse. Be sure to provide your horse
with plenty of fresh, clean water.
 Horse
Colic
The
symptoms of colic
What
causes horse colic
How
to prevent colic
How
to treat colic
Good basic care is the best way to prevent or reduce the risk of colic
in your horse.
A simple but structured daily routine, daily health checks and healthy
nutritious food form the essential requirments of a good basic routine.
How to do your best to prevent colic :
Fresh Water
Make sure there is always plenty of fresh clean water available, and
that it does not freeze in winter. Invest in a trough heater or arrange
to break the ice regularly.
Remember, winter roughages generally contain less than 20% moisture whereas
summer and spring grass contains 75% or more. Without sufficient liquid
your horses food becomes dry and prevents easy bowel movement ie; peristaltic
action. However, don’t give your horse anything but small amounts
of warm water if he gets overheated.
Routine
Develope a regular exercise and feeding schedule.
Feed your horse mainly roughage and only a little grain or energy-rich
supplement and divide the daily feed over two or more rations. Twice as
much energy should come from hay or forage than from supplements.
Don’t put hay or other feedstuffs on the ground, especially where
the soil is sandy; and check regularly for twine, plastic bags and other
human detritus which could be ingested by your horse.
Worming
Develop a tactical approach to worming that ensures maximum effectiveness.
Use our free worming programme to monitor and track what wormers you use
and when you use them. The guide also lets you know what wormers are effective
against what worms and the worming page will teach you all about the little
nasties.
Stress
Try to keep stress to a minimum by either minimising the amount of travel
or eliminating the need for transportation to shows.
Make sure your horse has a friend to graze with and/or travel with and
make sure your horse is comfortable and settled in his environment.
NOTE: If your horse is prone to constipation
use Psyllium Husks regularly in his feed. But; make sure you check with
your vet first.
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