Recommend me a good supplement for colic prone horse?

[Switchthehorse]

My mare having never colicked in the four years I have had her has suddenly colicked quite badly twice in the past two months. First spasmodic with an impaction, second time gassy colic. No obvious reason, and scarily no real sign she is suffering until it gets really bad.

Half my problem is she is a tough old bird and you wouldnt know she was in pain. Vet said she should have been rolling on the floor in pain but she was banging for hay!? So its pretty tricky to tell when she is in trouble

Has anyone used any supplements for horses who colic? And are they any good or just a waste of cash?

thanks in advance!

 

[Housemouse]

Try a magnesium supplement. Mineral deficiencies lead to all sorts of ills.

You don't say what she is fed on?

I feed mine on Simple System feeds. They are organic forrage feeds and they know exactly what goes into the feeds. My horses have been on this feed for years and they are doing very well, look great and are, so far, healthy.

Does she crib or windsuck? These vices are also shown to be related to bouts of colic. See this weeks H & H

 

[Erin]

What are you feeding at the moment?

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

Coligone.

Do a search on here and you will find plenty of posts and information on it

 

[bensmum]

Ben has been suffering from spasmodic colic since April, he is on Pink Powder but had another colic a couple of weeks ago the first in a while and after a sponsored ride.

Have finally made the decision to have him ultrasounded and scoped in the hope that it shows something.

As you know he is also a tough boy, hope D is okay.

 

[MissMincePie&Brandy]

Carron oil.
Mine haven't had a bout of colic since being on it, and I was talking to a stud yard owner, who was telling me that their cases of impaction colic dropped considerably after putting all the horses on the yard on it. It's used in the racing industry too.

 

[Switchthehorse]

Thanks all so far. She isnt fed a lot, Alpha A and Easy Mix. She is now on soaked hay, and we have no grass to speak of so its a weird one. Both days she hadn't been ridden at all before the colic and her routine has been exactly the same as it has for the last year and a half. As I said the scariest thing is the lack of symptoms and i mean NONE!!? eek. She is 7 and i have owned her since she was 3 and she has pretty much been on the same feed and same routine ever since then (only soaked hay now post colics). Weird.

Will google those supplements definitely thank you - have tried pink powder she just ballooned and was FAT!!

Hey Bens Mum, very long time no see, sorry to hear he is still poorly. Hope the other two are ok?? Am thinking of maybe scoping D plus ultrasound as we have weird issues with breathing and they don't know if its linked to colicking or not - add to that ovaries the size of tennis balls but all bloods clear, no wheezing etc typical d, weird symptoms, vets baffled and all tests so far completely clear she is fine and raring to go though and still trying to kill me on a weekly basis!!

 

[sisco]

I would recommend coligone.

 

[brucea]

Eliminate all grains from the diet - including things like wheat feed in supplements etc.

 

[Housemouse]

Agree, no grains and dampen feed before you offer it to her.

Perhaps your lack of grass could be the problem. Do you give her hay in the field? Maybe her gut is just not getting enough to function properly?

 

[Switchthehorse]

Thanks - when i say lack of grass I didn't explain myself very well - what I was trying to get across was she isnt on a lush field of sugary spring grass but older stuff.. there is plenty to keep her chewing over during the day.

I might have to change the title of this thread now .. can anyone recommend me a good feed similar to easy mix/pasture mix/competition mix (was going to move her onto comp mix soon as workload increased slightly) that is free from all additives, wheat and other colicky things? Thanks so much i am pretty hopeless when it comes to feeding all my nags have been on cheap and easy mix

 

[Rockchick]

my mare is prone to gassy colic / spasmodic colic, she is fed an entirely fibre based diet & hay at night. She is muzzled when on lush/new grass and also comes in early and has hay to eat.

I also give her fennel in her feeds - this seems to help her loads

 

[charlyan]

Another vote for Coligone- can't rate it highly enough. Feedmark's Settelx is also good as an antacid if she gets gassy colic.

Touch wood, my horse hasn't had a bout of colic in 3 years since moving him off a yard he hated- colicked every other week over three months until I managed to move him (vet thought his stress levels were to blame) but I always keep a bottle of coligone liquid handy just in case.

 

[greatdanes]

I would try "Colikare" from Pro-Equine, we have a livery horse on it for 5 years and when she stops he soon starts coliking again. He was going to be put down but is now thriving and showing under saddle really well, what a diference it has made. www.pro-equine.com

 

[Mongoose11]

my mare is prone to gassy colic / spasmodic colic, she is fed an entirely fibre based diet & hay at night. She is muzzled when on lush/new grass and also comes in early and has hay to eat.

I also give her fennel in her feeds - this seems to help her loads

Agree with this although I have managed to wean her onto more and more grass in stages....

Fennel powder and yea sacc seemed to have a great effect on mine.

 

[potto]

Has anyone tried Naf thrive?

 

[laura7981]

My friend has had good results with Baileys digest. Her mare hasn't had colic since being on it. She gets it from Horse Direct.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Thanks all so far. She isnt fed a lot, Alpha A and Easy Mix. She is now on soaked hay, and we have no grass to speak of so its a weird one. Both days she hadn't been ridden at all before the colic and her routine has been exactly the same as it has for the last year and a half. As I said the scariest thing is the lack of symptoms and i mean NONE!!? eek. She is 7 and i have owned her since she was 3 and she has pretty much been on the same feed and same routine ever since then (only soaked hay now post colics). Weird.

Will google those supplements definitely thank you - have tried pink powder she just ballooned and was FAT!!

Hey Bens Mum, very long time no see, sorry to hear he is still poorly. Hope the other two are ok?? Am thinking of maybe scoping D plus ultrasound as we have weird issues with breathing and they don't know if its linked to colicking or not - add to that ovaries the size of tennis balls but all bloods clear, no wheezing etc typical d, weird symptoms, vets baffled and all tests so far completely clear she is fine and raring to go though and still trying to kill me on a weekly basis!!

I would definitely take this horse off everything except hay and then gradually introduce a forage only diet.

Our cob mare had a 3 day colic several years ago and lost a great deal of condition as she was very ill and took along time to come right. We started to feed her on soaked grassnuts with dried grass chaff to supplement her hay (now she has haylage). She is now in excellent condition for her age and has never had another bout.

 

[maccachic]

Movement 24 / 7 don't restrict movement (stable) it increases colic considerably.

 

[Olliecp77]

I have your horses twin!!! Shows very very minimal signs and just looks a bit off but vet is getting you loaded up for hospital - nightmare on livery yards as they never notice his signs.
Have tried loads of supplements oil including fennel seeds - need to give them a lot of these, carron oil - won't live without now, carbon "comfort gut" - absorbs toxins and is good, coligone - will not eat as so strong smelling, settle x was used on a few other horses and was good.
Funny was just discussing the cost of carron oil with my YO who was getting it yesterday from an expensive shop, much cheaper online, and I commented it was worth it and you regret not feeding it when you are sitting up on with sickie horse and praying it won't get worse - I always regret when I skip it or let it run out etc. Every spring I have to wean him on to grass super super slowly, practically turn him and and turn around and bring him back in.
Good luck and try and see what works for your boy.

 

[Zerotolerance]

My 26yo who had his 2nd colic surgery a few months ago has been on Curragh Carron Oil since his first surgery 6 years ago. It was recommended by the vets who operated the first time and being high in calcium helps counteract the half a scoop of bran he has added to every feed. It's pretty inexpensive too. My cheapest stockist prices it at £20.95 - but I have paid up to £25 from others. The 4.5 litre bottle lasts me about 2 months per horse. Or I have had one of the giant containers at about £80 which works out cheaper and useful if you have more than one on it.

 

[Qru]

When my boy got colic I put him on NAF Sand Guard - you only give it for 7 days after they present with colic so it saves money on giving it everyday. He hasnt had colic since Sand Guard Particularly helps of they graze on sandy/muddy soil

 

[Rockchick]

I have my mare on Fennel as shes prone to colic episodes but *touches wood* since being on the fennel she hasnt had any issues

 

[kerrieberry2]

My mares 28 and has coliced 2x a year for the last 4 yrs. each time it's been cured with an anti spasmodic. But the vet has had many different ideas about what is causing it. We have decided its likely to either be the amount of clover in fields as too much can make them gassy. Or there is part of her stomach that isn't working properly to push the food along and every now and again gives her tummy ache

She however is a drama queen so we know as soon as she gets it

 

[greatdanes]

Colikare by Pro-Equine has ingredients that help to support the peristalsis muscle which pushes food through the digestive tract, it also includes ingredients like fennel and peppermint. I'ts not expensive. www.pro-equine.com