12 year old mare, hauled on a regular basis to shows, clinics, lessons and trail rides. 5 acre pasture 24/7 - good quality grass/clover. Fed well soaked beet pulp with Purina Enrich, added Redmond Salt, Joint Supplement with MSM and a hoof supplement.
History of gas colic on the 1st night when camping, almost every time we go. We haul within a 3 hour radius. Treatment for gas colic is banamine paste followed by probiotic paste while allowing her to laydown and rest quietly or hand walking if she is standing. Normally resolves itself within 20 minutes and she wants to start grazing.
She travels fine, exhibits no signs of being stressed, eats and drinks well. Rides fine. Does not have this issue when hauling to clinics or shows. Typically the time line is - haul to location, unload, setup camp. We either highline or put up a portable pen, she has coliced on both.
No history of ulcers, does not currently have ulcers. Is up to date on shots, teeth, farrier, as well as chiro and bodywork.
Is there a supplement we can try on hauling day to see if we can keep this from happening?
Thanks for your advice… Kim
If she only does this when camping, which you’d think would be less stressful then shows or clinics? That’s weird but something upsets her about that routine if it happens every time only on arrival…she needs a shrink?
On a more practical note, maybe feed hay only before loading up. Many who ship regularly skip anything else to avoid overloading the gut in stressful situations. For whatever reason, that setting up camp is stressing her. Might add electrolytes to make sure she’s well hydrated before loading up too. Drinking enough is vital to gut motility.
Few questions…
Is that 3 hour ride about the same as to all your shows or clinics or on the long side?
If it’s always 3 hours to camp but usually shorter to shows and clinics, maybe the length of the ride is a factor?
Does it clear without Banamine? Most minor gas colics are self resolving, we never even know about them. They move around and it works out on its own.
Most importantly, Do you camp year round or the same time every year? Is the pasture forage the same year round or seasonal?
Im thinking maybe something she’s eating in your summer pasture corresponds to camping season, maybe creating a little more gas a longer trailer ride lets build up? Like Clover maybe? They don’t fart much unless they can move…worth considering keeping her off pasture for a day before a camping trip? Whatever it might be, it’s not around the camping grounds in sufficient quantity to build excess gas in the gut on tne return trip.
I just would try to solve the riddle of the cause of the gas buildup specifically on a 3hr ride to camp out instead of throwing in another anecdotally supported supplement… if it works at all.
I vote something she’s eating only before going camping.
Do you give ulcergard before hauling? I would start there - 1/4 tube day before, 1/4 tube morning of, 1/4 tube again the night of, and continue once a day until you are home.
My welsh pony tends to do this. I do what Frivian suggested. His regime is a dose of ulcergard for two days before trailering and a dose the day of trailering.
X-Tra Strength Gas-X. We use it at the first signs of colic per advice of the vet for 20 years. It does the same thing in horses that it does in people, and it doesn’t make any difference if they don’t need it. No problems at all. If it’s the right flavor they will eat it right out of your hand. BO keeps it in the first aid supplies, and they do vitals and give them the Gas-X and banamine. Many is the time this has turned things around without the need to call the vet.
She’s been scoped then?
The farthest we have hauled is 3 hours, I do the same routine each time - beet pulp slurry about an hour before we leave to make sure she gets plenty of water, load and leave home. When we arrive, she is tied with her haybag to the trailer and provided a pail of water from home. From there we either show, or trail ride or … The only difference is when we are camping, she will start to get up and down a few times, looking uncomfortable - she will refuse any food - and then you know she is not feeling well. I’ll give a tube of probiotic and then shortly after, banamine paste, normally within 20 minutes she is fine and her head plunges down to start grazing. She has not been scoped, I am considering doing such however my vet said she does not show any outward signs of ulcers and wasn’t really concerned. We did consult an animal communicator who confirmed that she is experiencing gas colic… which I figured… cause once the banamine is working, she will relax her hind quarters, stand on 3 legs, pass a bunch of gas and then she is fine.
Considering ulcer guard or even a calming supplement as it seems to be stress related, thoughts?
We are leaving to go camping on Friday, will be about an hour drive… so whatever I start, I need to get ordered and available for use ASAP… I wont have time to get a loading dose of a pellet into her. Thanks.
I agree ulcers may be part of the issue.
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Is what you horse eats the day of, and while traveling, exactly the same as what she eats when not traveling? Even a very small change can upset the gut flora and create gas, esp. when traveling. The fact that probios are part of the solution for your horse makes me think a change in diet is part of the issue.
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There was a thread on feeding Fennel Seeds for gas that might help you. Titled “My gas colic experiment”. ( I bumped it for you)
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There is a thread on feeding esomeprazole (Nexium) for symptoms like you describe, it may be very helpful reading. ( I bumped it for you)
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Some vets are OK with giving GasX (baby drops are easiest) for mild gas in horses. Ask your vet for info.
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Odd that it is camping specific colic. Is horse stressed by not having a stall/walls around her?
