How to Prevent Horse
Colic
Because colic can be such a serious problem it’s important that you take steps to try and prevent your horse
from getting it. Here are some easy ways that you can prevent your horse from getting colic:
- If you have to change your horse’s diet or feed do it slowly over the course of a week or two weeks.
- Never offer your horse cold water to drink, only cool water.
- Make sure your horse always has access to as much cool water as it wants to drink.
- When you feed your horse, feed the hay first and then the grain so your horse won’t eat the grain too
quickly.
- Always keep the grain locked up in a place where your horse can’t get into it even if the horse gets loose
from its stall. Keeping the grain in a locked or sealed container like an airtight lidded garbage can inside a
locked feed room is a very good idea.
- When you ride your horse, make sure that you cool your horse down properly by walking it until the horse’s
heart rate and breathing come back to normal.
- Wash your horse off with cool water in the hot weather, not cold water.
- Deworm your horse regularly.
- Keep your horse calm. If your horse is prone to being nervous or excitable, try giving the horse a toy to
play with in its stall, find it a companion animal, play soothing music in the stable, try anything that will
work to get the horse to relax.
- Feed on a regular schedule.
- Make sure that the hay and grain you feed is not moldy or dusty or fermented.
- Make sure there are no bugs in the horse’s food.
You won’t always be able to prevent your horse from having a bout of colic but following these tips will greatly
lessen the chances that your horse will develop colic.
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