Feeding to avoid recurrence of impaction colic-advice really appreciated!

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peaceandquiet1

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Just collected daughter's 12.2hh pony after weekend stay in equine hospital to treat impaction located at the pelvic flexure. Colic co-incided with worming using pramox i.e. happened late the same day of worming. Faecal egg sample was 350 eggs. Vets say should be around 50.

Feeding small amount of his previous diet (healthy hooves and quality haylage) but would love to know what others would do to avoid a recurrence.

Thank you xxx
 
Check with your vet but I would feed bran, nice and sloppy, in every feed. A good horse vet told me that he really wishes it hadn't gone out of 'fashion', and that the mineral imbalance probably affects way fewer horses than the number which are affected by colic because their owners don't feed bran any more.
This is what I do to try to avoid colic, every day.
Sloppy feeds, and I use warm water in winter rather than give them cold feeds.
A bit of hay before hard feed. Trickle feeding. Never running out of hay unless it's a fatty on a diet. Small feeds (never bigger than a rugby ball, maximum, for a large horse). Very regular feed times. Fresh water always available, flavoured with a bit of apple juice or peppermint if necessary. Warmish water in winter when it's icy, as dehydration is a big problem and cause of colic.
Hope that helps a bit.
 
I worm count snd blood test so that I only worm when absolutely necessary and I never use pramox or dual chemical wormers!
When I need to worm I feed a very wet feed, turn out for a few hours and then starve for a couple of hours.
Only a daily basis I now feed soaked hay rather than Haylage and only feed speedi beet to carry supplements. In cold weather I make warm feeds and add hot water to the water buckets to encourage drinking.
Keep an eye out for any symptoms of colonic ulcers which could be caused by the impaction.
 
Everything Kerilli said, we feed 'straights' and I always use bran and beet pulp, the beet balances the bran, always feed it on the sloppy side and no or little cereals.
 
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