Colic in horses is a common yet serious condition that every owner should understand. Knowing the causes, symptoms, and prevention strategies can help you act fast and protect your horse’s health.

Key Takeaways

  • Colic in horses is abdominal pain that can range from mild digestive discomfort to life-threatening intestinal twists.

  • Early recognition and veterinary intervention are critical to recovery.

  • Prevention relies heavily on consistent feeding, hydration, turnout, and effective worming management.

  • Digestive supplements can help support gut health and reduce the risk of future colic episodes.

Shop our digestive supplements for horses to help maintain a healthy gut and reduce the risk of colic.

What Causes Colic in Horses?

The term colic simply means abdominal pain, but in horses, it can be caused by many underlying digestive issues. Because of their unique digestive anatomy, horses are particularly prone to these problems.

Common causes include:

  • Lack of turnout reducing gut motility

  • Abrupt changes in feed and high grain/low forage diets leading to an imbalance in gut microbes

  • Turnout onto lush pasture causing spasmodic or gas colic

  • Dehydration causing an impaction of partially digested food in the gut

  • Poor worm control

  • Stress

  • Dental problems can lead to poor chewing and subsequent impactions

  • Build up of sand in the intestines.

  • Strangulating lipoma

  • Entrapment or displacement

  • Gastric ulcers

Signs of a Colicky Horse

Spotting the early signs of colic can save your horse’s life. Even mild symptoms should be treated as an emergency until proven otherwise.

Common symptoms include:

  • Flank watching (turning to look at the abdomen)

  • Pawing or scraping at the ground

  • Kicking or biting the abdomen

  • Unusual stretching postures or sitting down like a dog

  • Restlessness or repeatedly lying down and getting up

  • Excessive sweating and elevated pulse

  • Rolling or reluctance to stand

  • Red or inflamed eyes and gums

If you notice any of these signs or your horse just doesn’t seem right, contact your vet immediately. Avoid giving any medication before they arrive, and remove food and water from the stable.

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Equine Colic Treatment Options

Treatment depends on the type and severity of the colic, but early veterinary intervention is always essential.

  • Mild to moderate cases may be treated with pain relief, laxatives, and fluid therapy to ease blockages and restore gut function.

  • Severe cases, such as displacement or torsion, may require surgery.

  • In cases of sand colic, vets might use laxatives or specific supplements designed to bind and remove sand from the gut.

While it’s tempting to walk a horse with colic, this should only be done on veterinary advice. If your horse is violent or attempting to roll, keep both of you safe and wait for professional help.

How to Prevent Colic in Horses

Most colic cases are preventable with good management and attention to your horse’s diet and routine.

Prevention tips:

  • Feed consistently and make dietary changes gradually over several weeks.

  • Provide constant access to fresh water

  • Maintain a regular worming programme and perform faecal egg counts to avoid resistance.

  • Feed quality forage and grain — avoid anything mouldy or spoiled.

  • Avoid feeding from sandy ground; use feeders or rubber mats.

  • Encourage turnout and exercise to promote gut mobility.

  • Use digestive supplements to support the gut’s natural bacteria and reduce the risk of impaction or gas buildup.

  • Feed high forage/low concentrate diets

  • Regular dentistry

  • Gradual turnout or strip grazing on lush pasture

Final thoughts

Colic remains one of the most serious conditions affecting horses, but with vigilance, management, and quick veterinary attention, many cases can be treated successfully. Prevention — through good feeding practices, hydration, and digestive support — is your horse’s best protection.

Shop our range of digestive supplements for horses to help support a healthy gut and reduce the risk of colic.

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Equine Colic FAQs

VioVet vet Dr Sophie Meers BVSc MRCVS answers your common questions about equine colic.

Can gas colic kill a horse?

If untreated, buildup of gas in the gut can lead to serious problems such as large intestine torsion or displacements that require surgical intervention.

Can bread cause colic in horses?

Bread is high in starch and concentrates so can cause an imbalance in gut microbes if fed too much or too often. However small amounts given as a treat are unlikely to cause a problem.

Can grass cause colic in horses?

Sudden access to lush or frosty grass can upset the digestive system and lead to gas or spasmodic colic. When introducing horses to new or lush pastures, staged turnout gradually increasing the number of hours out is helpful. Alternatively, strip grazing for horses likely to gorge themselves.

Can stress cause colic in horses?

Yes. Stress from travel, competition, or changes in routine can alter gut motility and increase the risk of colic.

Can worms cause colic in horses?

Absolutely. Tapeworms and redworms are known to cause impactions and spasmodic colic. Regular worm counts and targeted treatments are essential.

Can you give bute to a horse with colic?

Bute is a good painkiller for orthopaedic pain but less so for pain associated with the digestive system. Giving bute can limit the options your vet has to more appropriately treat the horse. Bute can also cause right dorsal colitis in susceptible horses, which is a serious condition leading to severe diarrhoea.

Written by: VioVet