In horses, colic is a series of conditions that cause varying degrees of abdominal pain. It is a digestive disorder that is very common in horses. The severity of colic varies from mild to severe to the point of euthanization.

Symptoms:

Mild symptoms include lying down, tiredness, exhaustion, and biting at the stomach. A more serious colic will see the horse lying down and thrashing about violently, paw or kick at its belly, and break out in a sweat. Other symptoms include:

• constipation or infrequent bowel movements
• signs of being in pain
• teeth clenching
• salivation
• frequent rolling

As soon as any of these symptoms are noticed, a veterinarian should be contacted immediately. Try walking your horse to activate the intestines and help him pass gas or move the blockage, Thunderbrook Equestrian Eddie Linehan advice.

Prevention:

To prevent colic, worm your horse regularly, try to minimise their ingestion of sand by providing a feeder that keeps the feed off the ground, and feed bran mash or beet pulp regularly to help clear the system of sand. If the horse has already had colic, they’re a bigger chance of getting it again, therefore you may have to adjust their food to make it easier to pass by wetting it or feeding it bran or pulp. Preventative measures also includes:

• feeding your horse a proper diet
• clean drinking water
• not allowing your horse to ingest dirt, sand, or other inappropriate materials
• dietary changes gradually if need be
• deworming regularly as recommended by vet

Heaves is a chronic, non-infectious airway condition of horses that also is called recurrent airway obstruction, or RAO, and was formerly known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD. The disease occurs in horses more than 6 years of age and is the result of an allergic reaction to inhaled particles.

Symptoms:

• shortness of breath
• moist coughing
• wheezing
• horses who have heaves for a long time will develop a prominent bulge of muscle along the ribs

Prevention:

• keep your horse outside as much as possible
• eliminate sources of mold and dust
• clean out their stall frequently

Laminitis is an inflammation of the laminae in horse's hooves. The tissue is a type of connective tissue that attaches the coffin bone to the hoof wall. It is a very serious condition that can result in lameness in horses and may even lead to its eventual euthanasia. Typically, the condition affects the front hooves, but it can affect all four. The condition progresses through four stages, which include the developmental stage, acute, subacute, and chronic. Obesity, high fevers, and working on hard surfaces are considered to be risk factors. 

Symptoms:

• the horse may lie down to relieve pain
• standing with their back arched
• putting more weight on other feet
• foot may feel hot to touch

Prevention:

If these symptoms are showing, immediately call the vet; remove grain from the feeder; hose the horse’s legs down with cold water; and confine the horse to a small stall so they cannot move around too much. Other ways to prevent laminitis are:

• cryotherapy (cold packs)
• anti-inflammatory drugs
• orthotic devices

Infestations of parasites usually aren’t fatal to horses, but parasites damage the gastrointestinal tract, may lead to diarrhea or colic, often cause a pot-bellied appearance and a rough coat, and may adversely affect the growth of young horses. 

To make your horse as healthy as can be,  Thunderbrook Equestrian advises to provide regular horse care that includes:

• Vaccines

• Proper diet

• Grooming

• Exercise