Horse Colic: What To Do While Waiting for the Vet

By Dr Duncan Houston

Colic is one of the most stressful emergencies a horse owner can face. One minute your horse is fine, the next they are pawing, looking at their flank, refusing feed, lying down, rolling, sweating, or simply acting “not right.”

The difficult part is that colic is not one disease. It simply means abdominal pain, and that pain can range from mild gas to a serious twist, displacement, impaction, intestinal inflammation, or another life-threatening problem. Most cases are gastrointestinal, but abdominal pain can also come from other organs. (Royal Veterinary College)

While you are waiting for your veterinarian, your job is not to treat the colic yourself. Your job is to keep your horse safe, avoid making the situation worse, monitor key signs, and give your vet clear information.

Quick Answer

If your horse is showing signs of colic, call your veterinarian early, remove hay and grain, keep clean water available unless your vet says otherwise, and gently walk the horse only if it is safe and helpful. Do not give Banamine, bute, sedatives, oil, or other medication unless your vet specifically instructs you. If your horse is violently rolling, collapsing, sweating heavily, not passing manure, or becoming dangerous to handle, stay safe and wait for veterinary help.

What Counts as Colic?

Colic means abdominal pain. It is a symptom, not a diagnosis.

Common signs include:

• Pawing

• Looking at the flank

• Kicking at the belly

• Stretching out

• Lying down more than normal

• Rolling

• Sweating

• Reduced appetite

• Reduced manure

• Posturing as if to urinate

• Restlessness

• Depression

• Grinding teeth

• Repeatedly getting up and down

The Royal Veterinary College lists restlessness, loss of appetite, pawing, rolling, flank watching, kicking at the abdomen, lying flat out, stretching, teeth grinding, sweating, posturing to urinate, and increased heart rate as possible colic signs. (Royal Veterinary College)

Some horses are dramatic. Others are subtle. A horse that is usually enthusiastic about feed but suddenly stands quietly at the back of the stable may be showing early colic.

First Decision: Call the Vet Early

The first step is to call your veterinarian.

That does not always mean your vet will need to rush out immediately. Sometimes they may guide you through monitoring a mild case for a short period. But calling early gives your vet time to assess the risk, ask the right questions, and prepare if a visit or referral is needed.

University of Minnesota Extension advises calling a veterinarian if colic signs last more than 15 to 30 minutes, are severe, do not improve with walking, or if the horse is not passing enough manure, has small dry fecal balls, has diarrhea, is not eating normally, or has gotten into grain storage. (University of Minnesota Extension)

The mistake I see most often is waiting because the horse has “only mild colic.” Mild signs can stay mild, but they can also be the start of something more serious.

Severity Guide: How Worried Should You Be?

The real concern is not just whether your horse rolls once. It is whether the pain is persistent, escalating, returning after brief improvement, or making the horse unsafe to handle.

Should You Walk a Horse With Colic?

Gentle walking can help some horses, especially if they are mildly uncomfortable, restless, or trying to roll. Walking may help keep them from injuring themselves and may encourage manure or gas passage. University of Minnesota advises keeping the horse walking if possible, but also says a tired horse may be allowed to lie quietly. (University of Minnesota Extension)

Do not walk endlessly.

Walking for a short period while you wait for advice can be useful. Walking for hours can exhaust the horse and you. A severely painful horse does not need a marathon. It needs a vet.

A good rule:

Walk if it is safe and the horse is mildly uncomfortable. Stop if the horse is exhausted, dangerous, unstable, or trying to throw itself down.

Should You Stop a Horse From Rolling?

Try to prevent violent rolling if you can do so safely. The main reason is safety. A rolling horse can injure itself, become cast, damage the stable, or injure people.

But do not get yourself hurt.

If your horse is violently rolling, thrashing, or impossible to control, move out of the way and wait for veterinary help. Cleveland Equine Clinic notes that walking is often recommended to keep a horse from rolling, but if the horse is thrashing and dangerous to handle, further intervention should wait until veterinary assistance arrives. (Cleveland Equine Clinic)

A horse lying quietly is different from a horse violently throwing itself down. Quiet rest may be acceptable. Dangerous rolling is not.

Should You Give Banamine?

Do not give Banamine, bute, sedatives, mineral oil, or any other medication unless your veterinarian tells you to.

Banamine is the brand name many owners use for flunixin meglumine, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug commonly used for equine pain. It can be very useful in colic, but timing and route matter. Medication can mask signs your vet needs to assess, and repeated or inappropriate dosing can create risk.

University of Minnesota Extension specifically advises giving medications only if your veterinarian approves, and Cleveland Equine Clinic also states that Banamine or anti-ulcer drugs should be given only after consulting your veterinarian. (University of Minnesota Extension)

There is another important safety point: do not give injectable Banamine into the muscle. University of Minnesota warns that intramuscular Banamine can cause serious infection, including clostridial myositis, and recommends giving Banamine by mouth when appropriate or having a veterinarian give it intravenously. (University of Minnesota Extension)

If your vet instructs you to give medication, follow their exact route, amount, and timing. Do not improvise.

Should You Feed a Horse With Colic?

No. Remove hay, grain, pasture access, treats, and hard feed until your veterinarian advises otherwise.

If there is an obstruction, impaction, reflux risk, or more serious intestinal problem, more feed can worsen the situation. University of Minnesota’s emergency guidance advises removing feed during colic so it does not make a blockage worse. (University of Minnesota Extension)

Clean water should usually remain available unless your vet tells you otherwise. Water is not the same as feed, and dehydration can worsen some colic problems.

What Should You Check Before the Vet Arrives?

Only check what you can do safely.

Useful information includes:

University of Minnesota lists normal adult horse values as temperature 99 to 100.5°F, heart rate 30 to 44 beats per minute, respiratory rate 8 to 12 breaths per minute, pink moist mucous membranes, and capillary refill time of 1 to 2 seconds. It advises calling a vet if temperature is over 101°F, heart rate over 50, respiratory rate over 30, gums are dry, tacky, or not pink, or capillary refill time is over 3 seconds. (University of Minnesota Extension)

If checking vital signs stresses the horse or puts you at risk, do not force it.

What To Do Right Now

1. Call your veterinarian

Tell them clearly that your horse is showing colic signs. Describe what you see, when it started, whether the horse has passed manure, whether the horse is eating, and whether the horse is rolling, sweating, or dangerous to handle.

2. Remove feed

Take away hay, grain, pasture access, treats, and any feed tubs. Leave clean water unless your vet says otherwise.

3. Move the horse to a safe area

A stable, small yard, or enclosed arena may be suitable if the footing is safe and the horse is not violently rolling.

Remove hazards where possible.

4. Walk gently if safe

Walk for short periods if your horse is restless, trying to roll, and safe to handle. Let the horse stand or lie quietly if tired and not thrashing.

5. Do not medicate unless instructed

Do not give Banamine, bute, sedatives, electrolytes, oil, laxatives, or supplements unless your vet tells you to.

6. Monitor and write things down

Record times, manure passed, rolling episodes, appetite, water intake, heart rate if known, gum colour if checked, and any changes.

7. Prepare for referral if signs are severe

Have a trailer ready if possible. Find transport. Keep your phone charged. Know where your nearest equine hospital or referral centre is. If your vet suspects surgery is needed, time matters. MSD Veterinary Manual notes that when surgery is indicated, prompt referral gives the best chance of success and survival. (MSD Veterinary Manual)

When Is This an Emergency?

Treat colic as urgent if your horse has:

• Severe or persistent pain

• Repeated rolling

• Violent rolling or thrashing

• Sweating

• Depression or weakness

• No manure

• Very small, dry, mucus-covered manure

• Diarrhea

• Refusal to eat

• Abdominal distension

• Pale, dark, red, purple, or tacky gums

• Rapid breathing

• High heart rate

• Pain that returns after briefly improving

• Grain overload

• Collapse

• A history of previous severe colic or colic surgery

MSD Veterinary Manual lists uncontrolled pain, large volumes of fluid retrieved from the stomach tube, and absent intestinal sounds as common indicators that surgery may be needed. Owners will not be able to assess all of these at home, which is exactly why severe or persistent colic needs veterinary assessment quickly. (MSD Veterinary Manual)

If your gut says this is more than mild discomfort, call. Nobody gets a medal for waiting.

What Not To Do

Do not wait overnight

Colic can progress. Some surgical colics are time-sensitive.

Do not give medication without vet approval

Pain medication can mask signs and delay referral decisions. Some medications are dangerous if used incorrectly.

Do not inject Banamine into the muscle

Intramuscular Banamine can lead to serious, sometimes fatal infection. Use only the route your veterinarian advises. (University of Minnesota Extension)

Do not force-feed

Do not offer hay, grain, mash, oil, treats, or grass until your vet advises it.

Do not walk a horse to exhaustion

Gentle walking is one tool. Endless walking can worsen fatigue and stress.

Do not put yourself in danger

A violently rolling horse can seriously injure people. Stay clear if the horse is unsafe to handle.

Do not assume manure means everything is fine

Passing manure is encouraging, but it does not rule out every serious cause of colic.

What Will the Vet Do?

Your vet may assess:

• Heart rate

• Gum colour

• Hydration

• Temperature

• Gut sounds

• Abdominal distension

• Pain level

• Rectal findings

• Reflux via stomach tube

• Bloodwork

• Ultrasound findings

• Response to pain relief

The Royal Veterinary College notes that colic assessment may involve rectal examination, ultrasound, blood work, stomach tubing, or sampling abdominal fluid to help decide whether the horse is likely to recover medically or needs surgical intervention. (Royal Veterinary College)

Treatment may include pain relief, fluids, stomach tubing, laxatives, monitoring, or referral for surgery depending on the cause and severity.

Will My Horse Be Okay?

Many colic cases resolve with medical treatment, especially mild gas colic or large-colon impaction caught early. The Royal Veterinary College notes that many colic cases pass quickly with little intervention, while others become life-threatening and require hospitalisation or surgery. (Royal Veterinary College)

The outcome depends on:

• Cause of colic

• Duration of pain

• Heart rate and hydration

• Whether the intestine is displaced or twisted

• Whether blood supply is affected

• How quickly veterinary care starts

• Whether referral is needed and available

The best thing you can do is act early, keep your horse safe, and avoid masking or complicating the signs before your vet examines them.

How To Reduce Colic Risk in the Future

You cannot prevent every colic, but you can reduce risk.

Practical prevention includes:

• Keep fresh water available at all times

• Make feed changes gradually

• Avoid sudden hay or pasture changes

• Feed plenty of fibre-rich forage

• Keep grain meals small

• Avoid large concentrate meals

• Maintain regular dental care

• Use a vet-led parasite control plan

• Provide turnout and movement where possible

• Avoid feeding directly on sandy ground

• Monitor manure daily

• Watch high-risk horses during weather, feed, or routine changes

• Keep emergency vet and referral contacts visible at the barn

RVC highlights consistent feeding, fibre-rich feed such as hay and grass, and appropriate parasite control as important prevention measures. (Royal Veterinary College)

Good colic prevention is not glamorous. It is water, fibre, routine, movement, teeth, worms, and noticing small changes early.

FAQs

Should I call the vet for mild colic?

Yes, at least call for advice. Mild colic may resolve, but early communication helps your vet decide whether to monitor, visit, or prepare for referral.

Can my horse lie down while colicking?

Yes, if the horse is lying quietly and is not rolling violently or getting cast. If the horse is thrashing or repeatedly throwing itself down, stay safe and wait for veterinary help.

Should I walk my horse until the vet arrives?

Walk gently if it is safe and helpful, but do not walk the horse to exhaustion. A tired horse may be allowed to stand or lie quietly. (University of Minnesota Extension)

Can I give Banamine before the vet arrives?

Only if your vet tells you to. If directed, follow the exact route and dose. Do not give injectable Banamine into the muscle. (University of Minnesota Extension)

Should I let my horse drink water?

Usually yes. Remove feed, but keep clean water available unless your veterinarian tells you otherwise.

Final Thoughts

Colic is frightening because it is unpredictable. Some cases are mild. Some are surgical. Some look quiet at first and worsen later.

While waiting for your vet, your role is simple but important: call early, remove feed, keep water available, walk gently only if safe, avoid medications unless instructed, monitor key signs, and protect both your horse and yourself.

The goal is not to solve the colic before the vet arrives. The goal is to avoid making it worse and give your vet the best possible information.

Calm, early action is what helps horses.

If you are unsure whether your horse’s colic signs are mild, worsening, or urgent, ASK A VET™ can help you work through what you are seeing while you arrange appropriate veterinary care.