In season/spring grass and colic are these linked

[twilight01]

Have had a tough 6 months with the horse who has recently gone onto restricted paddock rest after 5 months of box rest for medial branch injury and then crush injury to hind leg when she got cast and got her leg stuck in her window. Then yesterday she jumped out of her field to join the others next door. She seemed ok then started rolling and pacing in her box so called the vet and had gas colic. She settled but a couple of hours later started to roll again and she was doing some very strange things and her legs kept buckling although she didn't fall. Vet came back out and gave her some stronger pain killers. This morning she seems fine, could this really just be the rich spring grass combined with her coming into season? It's just not like her to colic or jump out of her field.

 

[Allover]

Yep, too much spring grass in one sitting when the horse is not used to it can and does cause colics. Normally with a light gassy colic some painkillers and giving the horse a chance to move around is sufficient for it too pass.

Does your mare have any company in her restricted paddock? This coupled with the look of the spring grass may have been to much for her to resist!!!!

 

[AmyMay]

This morning she seems fine, could this really just be the rich spring grass combined with her coming into season?

Yep

 

[flintfootfilly]

One of my mares had a medical colic earlier this spring. It was shortly after she had got her grazing muzzle off (I think she may have had about 2 hours grazing without the muzzle).

And the access to that unrestricted grass was all I could put it down to. The vet gave her an antispasmodic, and she was fine after that, though it took about 8 or 9 hours before she poo'd again.

It sounds as though you may have to weigh up the size of her restricted turnout, companions, quality of grazing etc to find a solution that doesn't stress her enough to make her want to jump out.

I remember a friend saying they set up a small electric pen in the middle of a field with other horses in, when they had one who needed restricted movement. That way, the restricted one was never far from the rest of the herd, and it settled well.

Hope all goes well.

Sarah

 

[twilight01]

she is in half of one field on her own but surrounded by others and can groom over fence etc. have just been up to check her and she still ok. Her grazing is already limited in time but think whilst the spring grass is still growing going to have to restrict to just a few hours as we are on good quality grazing.