Horse Colic Symptoms

Even though you might not know what causes your horse’s colic, if you can spot the symptoms of colic fast enough when your horse gets colic, you might be able to save your horse’s life by starting treatment right away. A mild case of colic can often be cured quickly and easily but you need to know the symptoms so that you can catch a mild case before it becomes a severe case.

Here are some of the most common symptoms of colic. If your horse is displaying two or more of these symptoms you should start watching your horse closely. If your horse is displaying three or more of these symptoms, start treatment immediately and call your vet. It’s much better to be safe than sorry when it comes to colic and your horse.

Your horse might have Colic if:

• The horse refuses to eat anything, even a favorite treat
• The horse refuses to drink
• The horse is sweating or is very warm even though it hasn’t been ridden and hasn’t been outside running around in the pasture.
• The horse is nipping or biting at its sides, either one side in particular or both sides.
• The horse is pacing
• The horse is agitated
• The horse lies down and refuses to get up
• The horse lies down and starts rolling violently
• The horse is snapping or biting at you when you come near and it doesn’t normally snap at you
• The horse is bobbing its head up and down or switching its weight from one side to the other
• The horse is repeatedly curling its upper lip.

If you suspect that your horse has colic and the horse is lying down or rolling, get the horse up immediately, no matter what it takes. Get the vet on the phone but don’t leave the horse to make sure it doesn’t lie down again.