Solution for colicy horses!

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lcharles

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Last night i got to the stables and Scirocco was led down groaning and wasn't a happy birdy! I got her up and walked her about but she kept kicing at her stomach and going wobbley legged like she was going to roll x Took her out for a walk across the fields and she had a mini poo (much to my delight!!:D) then i put her back in her stable and watched her. After an hour she hadn't improved at all and i was contemplating getting the vet out. Read some where that taking a colicy horse out in the lorry can help 'move things along' as all horses i know will poo as soon as they are in the lorry, whether its excitement/nervous/adrenaline....either way, in she went and we went for a little drive!! Ten minutes later, we got back to the stables....but there was no poo!! (Farting like a trooper though!)

Unloaded her and once back in her stable, she just stood there..........no rolling, not kicking her stomach.....she peered round at her tummy but then looked at me!! Sat in the corner of her stable for another 2 hours with her watching me.....me watching her. She didn't move!! Then she started trying to reach over into next doors stable to steal the hay, so i moved her into a pen with a bit of dirty straw (so she didnt eat it) to lie on if she wanted to.

So this morning I thought i'd pass the word on....everyone at the yard thought I was odd putting her into the lorry to make her poo but it seems to have worked :O) She was happy this morning....other than looking hungry!!

Obviously you follow your instincts and call the vet if need be but it seems that the lorry method worked!! Definately worth a try! x
 
One word of warning, when mine had colic, vet said under no circumstance to travel with him as it can cause the gut to twist where they are trying to keep their balance whilst driving. Just thought you might want to keep this in mind xx
 
I am sorry but having both lost horses to colic and had one successfully operated on, I would never wait to call the vet, the risk of it developing into a serious colic in the time you waited, at least one hour, over the fairly low cost over getting the vet is a no brainer for me.

Better safe than sorry IMO, as an experienced owner YOU may be prepared to use your judgement but for someone that has never dealt with colic before to be advised to wait that long and to travel a distressed horse is asking for trouble.

If in doubt about colic do not wait CALL THE VET, my liveries know that I will call vet possibly before the owner if a horse is colicky.
 
With a flatulent colic, it can definitely work. I had a 4 year old back in - um - about 1988 - habitually got colic after a 'stressful' day (everything was stressful to him then!!) One night it was bad - he didn't respond to vet's iv painkillers - rectal suggested there might be a twist. He was heavily sedated and loaded up for a trip to hospital. Half-way there the dope wore off and he went crackers - climbing the walls!! On arrival at vet clinic, he strolled off with no colic!

But I wouldn't rely on it unless I was VERY sure that the colic was flatulent!
 
This method was new to me until last November when it was one of many things we tried to resolve my boy's colic. However, we called the vet first and he actually followed us in the horsebox (used the bouncy one) while we tried this method. Vet had thought part of gut had got trapped between rib cage and kidney. (Subsequently he was proved wrong). It is known to help, but call the vet first!! Agree with others, they can die in hours untreated.
 
amymay said:
Glad it worked for you OP.

Me? I'd be on the phone to the vet immediately.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Eek!

I remember a lady on my yard's horse was colicing, very sweaty and distressed, she was walking him round and round I assumed waiting for the vet, 20 minutes later she called me over to his stable, so over I went to be asked if I thought she should call the vet or not!!!! I later had to load all 18hh of him into a trailer for her to rush him to the vets which he wasn't best pleased about, luckily he survived.

I never take a chance with colic.
 
I'd spoken to the vet on the phone when I first got down to the stables and she said to monitor her and to call her again if scirocco started rolling vigorously (shes a groaner more than a roller!) but yes i agree, vets advise is utmost important xx
 
Personally I wouldnt do it but glad you girl is over it now.


I find this a really bad time of year for colic (when grass starts to grow). I use Happy Tummy Charcoal to conteract the rich spring grass and since using it at danger times have not had to deal with colic in my colic prone boy. If he is a bit farty, I just up the dose and it does the trick.
 
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