Change in Weather Means Potential for Colic

With the roller coaster ride we are having with the weather lately, it can also mean a roller coaster ride for anyone with horses and their horse's digestive tract.  Though not all horses are prone to colic, I have found that not only when the weather warms up rapidly horses tend to feel a little icky; but also when the weather suddenly takes a dive after it was just starting to get nice.

For those who don't know much about horses, they can't regurgitate.  So when they have a belly ache, they find alternate ways to give their digestive tract relief.  Unfortunately, they can sometimes do more damage than good when they try to relieve their stomach pain by rolling around on the ground too much or laying down too long.  (A better definition of colic is "

Colic is a symptom of abdominal pain and can take the form of digestive problems, intestinal blockage, or a twisted intestine among other possibilities (Courtesy of www.bloodhorse.com).

Horses are routine animals.  For instance, they can't have sudden changes in their diet because it throughs their system into a whirlwind.  Like most animals (including dogs), it is better to wean them off the old food gradually by introducing the new feed slowly, at the same time. 

If you have horses, it wouldn't be a bad idea to keep an extra eye on them today and for the next few days until the weather plateaus and we have some consistency.  Last time the weather got suddenly warm and then suddenly cooler again, we had eight horses colic in our barn.  Not fun! 

Here is an article to learn more about colic and a list of symptoms of colic in case you're unsure of the warning signs.  Article on Colic.  There is also some further information on what can cause colic and ways to help prevent your horse(s) from colicing or having a bad case of colic.