Equine Fall Colic Prevention

Fall brings changes to our horses’ environment which can impact their health. Some key things to remember to help prevent any disruptions in your horse:

Water Intake

Make sure your horse is drinking an adequate amount of water. The average water intake is 5-10 gallons or 19-37 liters per day for an idle horse. That’s 1-2 average sized water buckets (20qt). If your horse is in work then their water intake can go up. Also note that horse don’t particularly like cold water. Ensuring water is above freezing or using heated water buckets can increase intake.

Change in Forage

If horses are out on pasture, they will be used to a diet that has moisture in it, so switching them to a dry forage like hay can create GI changes. You can add water to their grain to ensure water intake and slowly transition them over onto a full dry hay diet.

Provide Turn Out

Being outside allows horses to keep moving which increases gut motility. Allowing horses to be outside more than being inside even when the weather gets colder can be a great preventative.If your horse has to be stalled due to weather, try to exercise in any way available to you.