How to feed to prevent Colic

Apart from being a word that strikes fear into the heart of every horse owner, colic is the term used to describe any abdominal pain seen in horses. It is non-specific, meaning that it can be related to the stomach, small intestine, hindgut or be unrelated to the gut altogether – as in the case of bladder stones (uroliths).

It’s important to work with your vet to try and identify the cause of a colic episode. If necessary, you can then make changes to your horse’s management or diet, to reduce the risk of future episodes.

Most colic cases are gut-related and many diet-related risk factors have been identified.

So what are the common diet-related risk factors for colic in horses?