It’s not the first time we’ve said it, and it definitely won’t be the last: colic is, for the majority of horse men and women, among the greatest health concerns for their horses.
Of over 1,000 horsemen who participated in an online poll by The Horse magazine, 42.82% listed colic as their top concern. Wounds/trauma, Illness/Disease, and an all-encompassing “Other” were far behind, at less than 10% each.
Colic is not an unnecessary worry for horse owners – it’s a very real threat. Continuing research shows that colic is largely a hindgut issue that can have roots in the way we feed and care for our horses today.
Our VP of Veterinary Medicine, Frank Pellegrini, DVM, is passionate about how modern feed practices (particularly use of concentrates/grains, restricted turnout, and large mealsfed intermittently) negatively affect the hind gut. His study, published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, proved the common existence of colonic ulcers that are likely a result. Dr. Pellegrini also has some concrete theories about the relationship between colonic ulcers and re-occuring bouts of colic.
Holistic Horse Magazine published Frank’s article, Recurrent Colic: Thoughts on Cause and Prevention, in their September 2011 issue. Be sure to check out the article as well as Holistic Horse’s great compilation of information on natural, alternative care for horses.
