Equine Guelph offers tips for Colic Prevention Month

Guelph, ON Jan. 28, 2025 – February is Colic Prevention Month at Equine Guelph, when all horse owners are encouraged to raise their awareness about colic, the number one killer of horses. Take 10 minutes and visit the FREE interactive Colic Risk Rater. Valuable feedback is provided on the risk of colic to your horse(s) based on your current management practices.

Horse owners that complete the Colic Risk Rater before and after Equine Guelph’s Gut Health & Colic/Ulcer Prevention online course are often amazed at the positive difference in their score.  The short course is full of practical tips that horse owners can easily implement.  It is next offered on TheHorsePortal.ca from Feb 10 – 21, 2025.  All horse care takers are aware of the risk of colic, but students come away saying, “I did not know what I did not know!”

Equine Guelph is committed to educating horse owners with accurate information to help reduce the risk of colic and promote best practices for prevention.  Colic, a term used to describe abdominal pain in horses, is a leading cause of emergency veterinary calls. Despite its prevalence, many myths and misconceptions about colic persist.

Common Colic Myths Include:

1.    Only horses that eat grain get colic.

Untrue! Horses on forage-only diets are not immune to colic especially if not properly hydrated. This can be a real issue in the wintertime when they will often drink less if they find cold water less appealing. It is true that large concentrate meals can cause digestive disturbances, therefore if grain is required, smaller more frequent feedings are recommended over one ration per day..

2.    Horses that live outside don’t get colic.

False! While turnout can significantly reduce the risk by keeping the horse moving and increasing gut motility, horses that live outside are not invulnerable to colic.

3.    Feeding a bran mash once a week keeps things moving.

This practice is outdated given current research is drawing parallels between disease and other health issues if the bacterial population within the gut is suddenly disrupted.

4.    Walking a horse with colic will always help.

While gentle walking can sometimes help, it is not a cure-all.  Early intervention is of the utmost importance and your veterinarian should be called the moment colic is suspected.

5.    Colic is always caused by feed issues.

New hay and grain should always be introduced with an adaptation period to reduce the chance of gastro-intestinal issues (GI), but there are other factors including heavy parasite loads and dental problems that can also cause issues in the GI system.

Both the Colic Risk Rater and the Gut Health & Colic/Ulcer Prevention online course are kindly sponsored by Acera Insurance.

“I’d like to encourage everyone to visit or revisit the Colic Risk Rater tool on The Horse Portal,”says Mike King, national lead of equine programs at Acera Insurance Services Ltd. “We can think of no better risk management tool to prevent colic than education. This free tool and the Gut Health & Colic/Ulcer Prevention course offered by Equine Guelph are well worth the investment.”

Guard against poor performance, pain, discomfort, diarrhea, and a whole host of GI issues that could threaten your horse’s health.  Equine Guelph’s resources provide in-depth knowledge on maintaining gut health and preventing colic and ulcers so horse owners can take proactive steps to mitigate their horse’s risk of developing GI related issues.

Join the mission to spread awareness and take action to prevent colic this month.  Visit the Colic Risk Rater and sign up for Equine Guelph’s online course, Gut Health & Colic/Ulcer Prevention Feb 10 – 21, 2025 on TheHorsePortal.ca.

From Equine Guelph