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Horses that eat fresh grass, drink plenty of water, and get plenty of exercise are at a relatively low risk for colic. These factors are all important in keeping ingested material moving through the gastrointestinal tract. However, the winter season often puts horses at an increased risk for impaction.

Many horses are given a winter training break and so are less active during this season, often standing in stalls or sheds for many hours each day. Instead of eating grass with a high moisture content, they nibble hay that is dry and sometimes contains coarse material. Water sources offer near-freezing liquid that doesn’t appeal to horses. Combining these elements puts the horse in danger of developing an intestinal blockage caused by forage that has stopped moving. Inflammation, gas, and intestinal spasms cause pain, and the horse begins to show colic signs.

To lower the risk of colic through the cold months, remember these management tips.

  • Allow horses to exercise as much as possible. Pasture turnout for several hours a day is best; paddock turnout is better than standing in a stall. Even a few hours in an indoor arena will encourage horses to move around a bit. Keeping the horse in a regular program of riding or driving is a good idea, though the level of exercise may be reduced during the winter months.
  • Offer good-quality hay that is clean, sweet-smelling, and free of rough or stemmy plant parts.
  • Encourage horses to drink water. Dehydrated horses have trouble producing enough saliva to moisten ingested hay, and dry intestinal tissue doesn’t allow material to slide easily through the digestive tract. Be sure that water sources aren’t frozen. Horses prefer water that is not too cold; it doesn’t have to be warm, just at a moderate temperature.
  • Check waterers and buckets to be sure they are clean. A water bucket that contains bits of manure, grain, or hay is not appealing to horses.
  • Keep track of manure production. Very dry manure may be a sign that the horse is becoming dehydrated. Wetting the hay and adding water to the grain ration will help to get a bit more liquid into the horse. If the horse doesn’t pass manure at all for several hours, watch for signs of colic such as backing off feed, pawing, nipping or kicking at the flanks and belly, and wanting to lie down or roll. If the horse shows any sign of abdominal discomfort, call a veterinarian. Don’t wait to see if the condition will get better on its own; impaction colic can be a killer.
  • Keep the horse’s teeth in good condition. Horses with sharp points or edges on their teeth will have trouble chewing hay. An equine dentist or veterinarian should examine the horse’s mouth once or twice a year, correcting problems and allowing the horse to eat more comfortably.
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