A horse with colic is a difficult diagnosis for any equine veterinarian. This article will help all the horse lovers out there who, like me, want to know if you should walk a horse with colic.
When a horse gets colic, it can be a very stressful and dangerous time. Colic is often described as an emergency, and in fact, the signs that the horse is suffering from colic become more serious over time. A horse with colic requires immediate attention from a veterinarian. If you are wondering how to tell if your horse is suffering from colic, or if you know that he is suffering from colic, here are some helpful tips for dealing with the situation.
The short answer is “yes,” you should walk a horse with colic.
The longer answer is that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to dealing with colic in horses. The best thing you can do is get the facts, then make an informed decision on how to proceed.
Colic is a common ailment in horses, affecting around 8% of horses annually. It’s characterized by pain and discomfort in their abdomen, which can manifest as a variety of symptoms, including:
-Restlessness
-Lack of appetite/interest in food
-Pawing at their abdomen or lying down on the ground
-Vomiting
-Drooling or foaming at the mouth; sweating from the mouth; trembling, shivering or twitching muscles; diarrhea or constipation; straining without producing any waste material; and rapid breathing and heartbeat (tachycardia)
If your horse shows any of these symptoms, you should call your local veterinarian immediately.
If a horse is suffering from colic, walking it around the yard can be beneficial for both the horse and its human companion. Walking will help to relieve some of the pain and discomfort that your horse may be experiencing. Walking also helps to stimulate your horse’s digestive system, which can help prevent further blockage of their intestines.
However, if you decide to walk a colicky horse, you should exercise caution. It is important that you do not overexert your horse while they are experiencing colic symptoms. If you notice that your horse’s gait is uneven or slightly off-balance, then it’s probably best to stop walking them until a professional has evaluated their condition and made any necessary adjustments or recommendations for treatment options for your specific situation.
If you feel like your horse needs extra support or assistance during this time but don’t want them overworked in order for them to recover faster from their pain then consider hiring an equine chiropractor who specializes in treating horses with colic conditions on an ongoing basis!
Should You Walk A Horse With Colic
Walking a colicky horse into the wee hours of the night seems like an equestrian rite of passage, but is it necessary? The idea that any horse with gut pain must be walked is a persistent horse keeping myth. But the truth is that walking a colicky horse may be helpful in specific situations. And at other times, it could make the situation worse.
When deciding whether to walk a colicky horse, consider the following:
• Many minor colics resolve themselves over a short period of time, no matter what. If the horse will stand or lie quietly in a stall or round pen, remove all hay and water and allow him to rest quietly as you consult with a veterinarian.
• Sometimes the movement of walking can help “jostle” the gut enough to relieve a minor impaction or trapped gas bubble. The chance of this happening is not related to how long the horse is walked, however. If a horse hasn’t improved after a half-hour of brisk walking, he’s not going to improve with that alone. And if the horse’s pain seems to worsen with walking or if he becomes reluctant to move, do not force it. Call the veterinarian immediately.
• Pain can make even a normally easy-to-handle horse unpredictable and even aggressive. It can be dangerous for the people involved to walk any horse who is in so much pain that he wants to roll. Also, pain at that level indicates that the horse is most likely a surgical candidate, and walking will not help his condition. If you are tempted to walk a horse to stop him from rolling in pain, focus your efforts instead on getting him to a veterinary clinic quickly. Walking a colicky horses must be done with a clear concept of the risk and benefit; talk to your veterinarian (who should be on the way in a case like this) if you have been instructed to walk a horse who may be a risk to your safety.
• Other conditions that look like colic may be made worse by walking. A horse with low-level laminitis, an abscess or lymphangitis, for example, might appear at first to simply have gut pain. Walking these horses will exacerbate their true condition. One way to identify colic look-a-likes is by taking the horse’s temperature: Colic alone is not typically associated with a fever.