Question
I have two horses, one 15.2-hand (157 cm), 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare and one 16.3-hand (170 cm), 8-year-old Boulonnais (large and drafty) gelding. Over the last four years, the pair of them have displayed colic-like symptoms on several occasions, each time resolved by on-farm veterinary intervention. I have always managed my feeding and currently have both horses on beet-pulp flakes along with a handful of chaff and a scoop of cubes. In addition to this, they both receive a probiotic. They are normally given haylage, and if the haylage is extremely dry, I soak it with water. I am really quite concerned this year, as it has been so wet and my horses have not been turned out in weeks.They are occasionally allowed time in a small sand paddock for 20 minutes. It is not an ideal situation, I know, but hopefully better weather is on its way. Is the lack of turnout increasing their risk of colic? How do I manage their turnout when the time comes? I have never had my horses stabled for such a long period, with no access to grass, and with the two of them having had colic previously, I am quite concerned about the sudden intake of grass, even if only for an hour or two in the late afternoon. Can you please advise?
Answer
A study done in the UK linked being stabled to increased incidence of colic due to the reduction in gut motility that results from the lack of movement, so your concern is valid.
If possible, regular daily exercise during this time of limited turnout would likely be good for their physical and mental health. Whether that’s provided from riding, hand-walking, or turnout in the sand ring, some is likely better than none.
When the time comes to return them to the pasture, I would recommend the introduction of EquiShure, a time-released hindgut buffer developed by Kentucky Equine Research to prevent drastic changes in the pH of the horse’s hindgut (large intestine and colon).
If you have some advance warning, then it would be good to introduce 60 g of EquiShure to their daily ration a few days prior to turnout, then increase to 120 g per day for a week or so while they acclimate to turnout on grass. If you don’t have any advance notice, then I would recommend giving 60 g of EquiShure prior to turnout to reduce the risk of hindgut acidosis that can occur from abrupt transition to lush grass.
