on 10/05/2012

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The icy claws of fear set firmly into the spine of every horse owner upon hearing the very word spoken...  Colic. By definition, “colic” is simply a vague term for “pain” anywhere between the stomach and tail of the horse, and tells us next to nothing for a diagnosis. At some point in our equestrian lives, chances are good that we will have to deal with colic in some form or another. Whether it’s a horse of…

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Yet another poetic rambling courtesy of my alter ego -- Shakespeare "The Equine"

 

Farewell To Miss Fergs

Dedicated to the fiery Miss Fergs who succumbed to colic, February 13, 2011, age 22

 

Gone…

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There is a front coming in tonight. Clouds are moving low and fast, the wind is howling around corners, as the temperature drops like a rock. Spring and fall bring this kind of barometer-bouncing weather.

Worst of all, the horses are acting unsettled as the atmosphere. There

is a name for this kind of weather, but I don’t like to say it out loud.

If you have horses you know it too. It’s colic weather. Knock wood…

I got sad news…

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Recovery...thats the word of the day. My hand that I cut open 10 days ago is healing very well. It still hurts to hold a hair brush, use a squirt bottle or use a body brush using downward strokes. Up until 10 minutes ago I couldnt take the cap off of my water bottle.

Part of my healing has been just getting back out to the barn to interact with my horses. Im a little nervous around them, since I am so protective of my hand right now, but thats fading away each time I go down…

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They say that only 10 percent of all colic cases will result in surgery.

I was at work last November, it was morning and it was about 10:15 when I got the phone call that all horse owners dread. “He’s colicing” the voice on the other line said. My trainer had just given the horse a work out, had a good ride and

her working student had un-tacked him in the stall. He looked like he wanted to

roll in the stall but when he wouldn’t get up right away she knew…

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There are some truths, but numerous misconceptions regarding nutrition and your horse’s attitude. The confusion comes from the challenge of measuring what “attitude” really means. There is limited proper scientific research regarding the link between nutrition and attitude. Furthermore, many practices used in the industry to change a horse’s attitude often cause secondary side effects that can be detrimental to your horse’s welfare, one of the worst is to withhold water.



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