Colic...ugh!

Farmpony, I'm sorry to hear about your guy!

For what it's worth, Justin has coliced 8 times in 10 years...most were gassy/grassy colics when the grass would get too green too quick, but he has had 2 impaction colics. After the last one, I said "no more!" and now he lives on soup. He has always been known to not drink enough, so the extra water really helps. Your guy probably won't like the change in texture at first, but if he gets hungry, he'll sure enough eat it.

For every 3 pounds of grain Justin gets, he also gets at least 2 gallons of water on top...his poops are consistent and well formed now...and I can be sure he's getting the adequate water intake he needs (3 feedings of grain = ~6 gallons of water + 2 feedings of alfalfa soup = ~6 gallons of water)

Hope he is still doing well!

Colic sucks!!!

I'm glad to hear he's pulling through! We feed on plywood out in the pasture and when they are in their pen we have a cattle feeder/trough thingy. Its low enough to the ground that they aren't eating on a very raised surface (like corner feeders & hay nets) but its high enough that they aren't kicking dirt into it. I think I may have a picture of it.



Awww...It's not a very good picture but the feeder is the long dark shadowy figure up close by the white fence posts. (you can see the chickens hanging out by it.) It's long enough the horse's don't fight for food and we can put the mineral/salt blocks in it too.

So much work! I'm adding about 2 inches of water to his grain right before I dump it and he's eating it... I'm going to keep upping the water over time and the boy will learn to eat soup!!!! LOL... UGH...

Aww, he sure looks like a sweet boy to be giving all this trouble! My mare had a gassy colic a couple months after she foaled because the "experienced hauler" was taking her across Arizona at the end of June in the hottest part of the day w/ a non-air conditioned trailer. I made him stop at a vet for an overnight stay that ended up costing $685.

I feel for you and im so glad he is better. I take alfalfa cubes and drench them in water, wait until they have absorbed them up, then give it to my horses, but it packs down, which makes it hard to get to, so probably wouldn't work for your boy. Poor thing! He looks great for his age though!

My friends horse had an impaction colic because of not drinking enough, what she does now is to put three or four tablesspoons of salt in each feeding. That way her horse HAS to eat the salt and it makes her drink more. Its been about three or four years and they haven't had a problem since. Just a suggestion for you. =]

Awwwww I hope he gets better and doesnt colic again! :(