Colic prevention is built on consistent management practices that support healthy gut motility and function. The most impactful are: continuous or near-continuous access to quality forage; fresh water available at all times (especially in cold weather when horses voluntarily reduce intake); gradual dietary transitions (minimum 7–14 days); regular exercise and turnout; strategic deworming based on fecal egg counts; routine dental care; and feeding off the ground on mats or feeders in sandy regions.
No management program eliminates colic risk entirely, but horses managed with consistent forage access and adequate hydration have consistently lower colic rates in research studies.
Early signs include: decreased appetite or refusing feed; mild restlessness or pawing; occasional glancing at the flank; reduced or absent manure output; lying down more than usual; and a mild increase in resting heart rate. A horse that is off feed, quieter than normal, or spending more time lying down than usual may be in the early stages of abdominal discomfort.
More obvious signs include: repeated pawing, rolling attempts, looking at or biting the flank, elevated heart rate, sweating, and distension of the abdomen. Any signs of abdominal pain in a horse warrant calling your veterinarian — early treatment consistently improves outcomes.
Call your veterinarian first. While waiting, remove access to feed. Allow access to fresh water unless your vet instructs otherwise. Keep the horse as calm as possible. Do not administer medications including Banamine without specific guidance from your vet — masking pain can complicate the veterinary assessment. Monitor and record heart rate, gum color, gut sounds, and behavior so you can give your vet an accurate update.
Walking is appropriate for mild cases in some situations — ask your vet specifically, because walking is contraindicated in certain colic types. Be prepared to transport to an equine hospital if your vet advises it.
Sand colic occurs when sand and dirt accumulate in the large colon over time, forming impactions that obstruct normal motility. It is particularly relevant in the American Southwest — Arizona, New Mexico, California — where horses are commonly kept on sandy or rocky desert ground.
Prevention includes feeding hay off the ground on rubber mats or in elevated feeders to prevent sand ingestion; ensuring adequate water intake; and discussing psyllium supplementation protocols with your veterinarian — psyllium may help clear accumulated sand from the colon. Ask your vet about the most evidence-supported approach for your management situation.
The AAEP (American Association of Equine Practitioners) divides equine vaccines into core and risk-based categories.
Core vaccines (recommended for all horses regardless of use or location): Eastern and Western Equine Encephalomyelitis (EEE/WEE); Tetanus; West Nile Virus; Rabies.
Risk-based vaccines (recommended based on geographic location, use, and exposure risk): Equine Influenza; Equine Herpesvirus (EHV-1 and EHV-4); Strangles; Potomac Horse Fever; Botulism; Anthrax; Venezuelan Equine Encephalomyelitis (in endemic regions).
Core vaccines are generally administered annually, though boosters for Tetanus and EEE/WEE are sometimes recommended every 6 months in endemic regions. Rabies is typically annual. West Nile is often administered in spring before mosquito season, sometimes semi-annually in high-risk areas.
Risk-based vaccines may require more frequent administration — Influenza and EHV vaccines may be given every 3–6 months in horses with high exposure risk from shows, events, and travel. Strangles vaccination frequency depends on the product used.
Many core vaccines are available for owner administration. However, there are important considerations: vaccine efficacy depends on proper storage, handling, and administration technique; some vaccines (particularly modified live intranasal strangles) carry handling risks if accidentally self-inoculated; and systemic reactions to vaccines — while uncommon — require veterinary management.
More importantly, the annual vet visit that accompanies vaccination provides an opportunity for physical examination, dental assessment, body condition scoring, and health discussion that has significant value beyond the vaccine itself. Many equine veterinarians strongly recommend annual wellness exams even if vaccination is performed by the owner.
Signs that may indicate dental issues include: dropping feed (quidding) while eating; excessive salivation; difficulty chewing or eating; weight loss or poor body condition despite adequate feed; undigested grain or long hay stems in the manure; foul odor from the mouth or nostrils; head tilting or resistance to the bit; and behavioral changes under saddle that may relate to mouth discomfort.
Many horses with significant dental problems show no obvious signs — which is why regular professional dental examinations by a veterinarian are recommended regardless of whether problems are apparent.
Wolf teeth are small, vestigial premolars (first premolars, also called PM1) that typically erupt in front of the second premolars at about 6–18 months of age. They are present in the majority of horses — both sexes — though variable in size, shape, and location.
Wolf teeth can interfere with bit contact and cause discomfort when pressure is applied to the bit. For this reason, they are commonly removed before training begins. Removal is a routine veterinary procedure performed under sedation.
Sharp points on the cheek teeth (molars and premolars) develop as horses chew — because horses chew in a circular motion, the outer edges of the upper cheeks and inner edges of the lower cheeks develop sharp points that can lacerate the cheek tissue against bit pressure. This produces pain that horses express through head tossing, resistance, tongue over the bit, fighting the contact, and other behaviors that are often incorrectly attributed to training issues.
Floating — filing down these sharp points during a dental procedure — is a routine part of equine dental care. Hooks, ramps, wave mouth, and other dental irregularities can also affect bitting and performance. A thorough dental examination before attributing ridden resistance to training problems is always worthwhile.
The modern evidence-based approach to equine parasite management is targeted selective treatment (TST) rather than calendar-based deworming. TST uses fecal egg counts (FECs) — laboratory analysis of a fresh manure sample — to identify which horses are shedding significant parasite burdens and treat only those horses.
Research shows that in most herds, a minority of horses (20–30%) shed the majority of parasites. Treating all horses on a fixed calendar schedule promotes resistance development in parasites and is largely unnecessary for low-shedding horses.
Regardless of FEC status, all horses should receive a fall treatment with ivermectin or moxidectin after the first frost (or end of bot fly season) to target bot larvae, which are not detected on FECs.
The most reliable way to assess dewormer efficacy is the fecal egg count reduction test (FECRT): perform a FEC before treatment, administer the dewormer, and repeat the FEC 10–14 days later. A reduction of 95% or more indicates effective deworming; a lower reduction suggests resistance to that product in your horse's parasite population.
Anthelmintic resistance — particularly to ivermectin and benzimidazoles — is increasingly prevalent in equine parasites. FECRT is the only way to detect resistance at the farm level.
Always call your vet immediately for: any colic signs; neurological signs (incoordination, weakness, inability to stand); eye injuries; suspected choke; lacerations near joint structures; profuse or arterial bleeding; difficulty breathing at rest; inability to bear weight; a mare showing difficulty foaling; and any situation where you are genuinely uncertain.
Signs that warrant a same-day call: lameness that is moderate or does not improve with 24 hours of rest; fever above 101.5°F; a wound that may need suturing; signs of possible infection; a horse that hasn't passed manure in over 8 hours; and any significant change in normal behavior, appetite, or water consumption.
The governing rule: the cost of a phone call is always less than the cost of delayed treatment. When in doubt, call.
A well-stocked equine first aid kit includes: veterinary thermometer; stethoscope; hoof pick; bandage scissors; non-stick wound pads; rolled gauze; self-adhesive bandage (Vetrap); standing wraps and quilts; clean towels; saline solution for wound flushing; dilute betadine or chlorhexidine; wound spray or ointment approved by your vet; latex gloves; a flashlight; and your veterinarian's phone number prominently displayed.
Discuss with your veterinarian whether keeping banamine (flunixin meglumine) on hand is appropriate for your situation and get specific instructions on its use before you need it.
Arizona summer heat — regularly exceeding 110°F in the desert regions — creates significant health risks for horses. Key management strategies include: providing access to shade at all times; ensuring multiple clean, cool water sources and checking them frequently; scheduling exercise in the early morning or evening when temperatures are lower; monitoring for signs of heat stress (elevated respiratory rate and heart rate that do not return to normal within 20–30 minutes after exercise); and allowing horses adequate time to acclimatize to heat if they have been moved from a cooler climate.
Electrolyte supplementation is often appropriate for horses in heavy work during extreme heat — discuss appropriate products and timing with your veterinarian. Heat stroke in horses is a veterinary emergency.
Average water consumption for a horse at rest in moderate temperatures is approximately 5–10 gallons per day. During extreme heat or exercise, this can increase to 15–20+ gallons. Signs of inadequate hydration include: dark or concentrated urine; decreased skin turgor (the skin tent test — pinch a fold of skin on the neck; it should flatten immediately); prolonged capillary refill time (press the gums — color should return within 2 seconds); reduced gut sounds; and lethargy.
Monitoring water tank levels daily during summer provides a useful baseline — a significant change in consumption warrants attention. Providing multiple water sources and ensuring adequate salt intake (loose salt or salt block) encourages drinking.
Signs that may indicate gastric ulcers include poor performance, attitude changes, girthiness, sensitivity when touched on the flank or belly, mild intermittent colic, reduced appetite, rough or dull coat, and difficulty maintaining body condition. In foals, signs include grinding teeth, excessive salivation, poor nursing, lying on their back, and diarrhea.
These signs are non-specific — many conditions can produce similar presentations. Gastroscopy (passage of a camera into the stomach) is the only definitive diagnostic test for EGUS. Without a scope, you cannot know whether your horse has ulcers or what grade they are.
Teeth grinding (bruxism) in horses can indicate abdominal pain or discomfort — it is a common sign in horses with gastric ulcers, particularly in foals. It can also be associated with other sources of oral or gastrointestinal discomfort, pain elsewhere in the body, or occasionally stereotypic behavior (habit).
Bruxism combined with other signs — poor appetite, colic, performance changes, or behavioral changes — warrants veterinary evaluation to determine the underlying cause.
Weaving — rhythmic side-to-side swaying of the head, neck, and sometimes the entire front end — is a stereotypy (repetitive behavior) most commonly associated with stress, confinement, and social deprivation. It is most prevalent in stabled horses with limited turnout, social contact, and enrichment.
Weaving is considered a welfare concern — it typically indicates that the horse's behavioral needs are not being fully met. Management changes including increased turnout, social contact with other horses, forage enrichment (slow feeders, multiple small meals), and environmental complexity are the most effective interventions.
A "cold-backed" horse is one that humps up, bucks, or is stiff and resistant when first saddled or mounted, improving after a warmup period. While historically attributed to sensitivity or disposition, cold-backed behavior should be evaluated as a potential sign of physical discomfort.
Common physical causes include saddle fit issues, back pain (including kissing spine), girth sensitivity related to skin conditions or ulcers, gastric ulcers with sensitivity around the girth area, and musculoskeletal pain that resolves as the horse warms up.
Topline development requires adequate protein and energy in the diet, appropriate conditioning exercise, and — crucially — ruling out underlying health reasons for topline loss. The most common causes of poor topline that are not purely conditioning-related include Cushing's disease (PPID), insulin dysregulation, inadequate dietary protein (particularly lysine), dental problems limiting nutrient absorption, and chronic pain conditions that cause the horse to hold the back rigidly and not use the musculature normally.
Exercises most effective for topline development include hill work, cavaletti and pole work, baited stretches, long and low work encouraging thoracolumbar flexion, and appropriate collection under saddle as fitness develops.