| Many of our horses live a much different life than they | | | | much food at one time. Horses are unable to tell when |
| used to. Horses once lived on the plains traveling in | | | | they are "full" and this means that they will continue to |
| herds and grazing all day. This was what they were | | | | eat whether they need to or not. |
| intended to do by nature. Today, however, we like to | | | | A horse is unable to digest a large amount of feed in |
| show our horses and we like to keep them in the barn | | | | such a small amount of time. As the horse eats too |
| for easy access. Our horses have begun to live in | | | | much he is overloading his stomach and killing off the |
| stalls or small pens most of their lives and because of | | | | helpful bacteria that live in the hindgut of the horse. |
| this they have had to adjust. Many horses have | | | | Because there are no bacteria to help ferment and |
| adapted to this type of lifestyle, but it has not been | | | | digest the feed, the feed sits there in the hindgut and |
| without any healthy effects. Colic is one of the most | | | | causes a toxic problem that produces founder to |
| common health issues that horse owners have to | | | | occur. The toxins begin to build up in the horse's blood |
| worry about today. | | | | stream and eventually the horse begins to not only |
| Colic is a fairly broad term, but essentially it is a | | | | show signs of colic but founder as well. |
| stomachache. The horse's digestive system is very | | | | The horse may begin to roll continuously. The horse will |
| unique and they're stomachs are incredibly small of | | | | get up and lie down and roll over and over. The horse |
| their size. They are designed to eat multiple small | | | | may also develop a fever and begin to sweat. Some |
| meals per day, but we have adjusted that to fit our | | | | horses will act as though they can barely stand up. In |
| daily schedules and many horses get two rather large | | | | severe cases of colic a horse will sit back on his hind |
| meals per day. The horse also does not have the | | | | feet to avoid putting pressure on his front feet. These |
| constant flow of fiber that he once had when he was | | | | are the signs of founder beginning to set into the |
| able to roam the range. Instead, they also receive two | | | | horse's feet. When a horse is found colicking, a |
| rather large flakes of hay per day. There are some | | | | veterinarian should be alerted as soon as possible and |
| horses that are lucky enough to have constant access | | | | the horse should be walked until the veterinarian |
| to hay via round bales, but many horses receive their | | | | arrives. Horses who are allowed to roll may twist a gut |
| forage with their meal. This means that a horse may | | | | and cause more severe internal problems. |
| be shocking his system because he is receiving so | | | | |