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Busted: Hand Walking A Colicky Horse Not Always Necessary

Nearly every equine enthusiast has been told that to allow a colicky horse to lay down is a possible death sentence: They may roll around and “twist” their gut, leading to a potentially more-serious colic outcome. Instead of leaving the horse to his own devices to find a comfortable position, horse owners often walk a colicky horse, not allowing him a chance to stop and breathe or stand quietly.

However, hand walking is only helpful for some types of colic—in others, it may make the situation worse. When deciding if a horse should be hand walked, it's important to consider the following:

Many minor colic episodes resolve on their own. If the horse is quiet, remove all hay and water and let him stand or rest quietly while consulting with a veterinarian.
Walking a horse can help impactions or a trapped gas bubbles move through the intestinal tract. However, if a horse has been walked (briskly) for 30 minutes and his condition has not changed, more hand walking will not help him. Never force a horse to walk and call the veterinarian immediately.
Even a normally docile horse in intense pain may become aggressive and unpredictable; walking him may endanger both the horse and he people around him. Additionally, if a horse is violent, he most likely has a colic that can only be remedied with surgery. Instead of focusing on walking, focus on how to get him in front of a vet as rapidly as possible.

It's important to note that other conditions can present like colic, including low-grade laminitis or an abscess. To help rule out other possible conditions, take the horse's temperature. Colic is not usually associated with any fever.

Strangulating Lipoma: Surgery The Only Option

Strangulating lipomas are a common cause of colic in horses older than 10. These fatty tumors take years to develop; they eventually wrap around the small intestine or small colon and block ingested feed and hay from moving. If left long enough, they will eventually cut off blood flow to the tissues as well.

Why these tumors occur isn't known, but they don't only occur in overweight equines. Colic from a strangulating lypoma cannot be managed with on-farm treatments like hand walking or medicating—surgical removal is the only remedy for this type of colic.

A horse with a strangulating lipoma may have only mild abdominal pain as the tumor grows. His pain will escalate as the tumor increases in weight, which causes the loop to tighten and block more ingested material. Eventually the blood supply to the tissue may be cut off, causing it to die.

The horse may initially appear restless, he may roll, paw or bite at his sides. Stretching out to ease the pull and sweating is not uncommon, nor is an elevated heart rate and depression. A horse with a strangulating lipoma most likely will not eat or pass manure. This form of colic may cause the horse to have a distended abdomen from the buildup of fluids.

This type of colic is diagnosed through observation of behavior, as well as through palpation of the small intestine, presence of abdominal distention and an increase in proteins and white blood cells in the peritoneal fluid.

The only treatment for a horse with a diagnosed strangulating lipoma is surgery, which will remove the tumor as well as any damaged intestine.

Javier Castellano Undergoing Minor Surgery On Right Hip, To Return In January

Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano will undergo a minor surgery on his right hip on Monday, Nov. 16, reports the Daily Racing Form. Dr. Bryan T. Kelly will perform the arthroscopic procedure to clean up “debris” at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan.

“He said you don't want to wait two or three years to do it, because then there could be damage in your hip,” Castellano told drf.com. “I don't have much going on in November, December so I'll take off part of November and December and come back in January like I always do.”

Castellano said he hopes to have several rides back in mid-January before the Pegasus World Cup card on Jan. 23 at Gulfstream Park.

Physical Therapy Returns Horses To Competition Ring More Rapidly

A horse that requires surgical intervention for a bout of colic isn't out of the woods as soon as he come out of anesthesia. His recovery period can be fraught with complications as his abdominal muscles have been damaged: the surgeon must cut through them to access the origin of the pain. This incision will alter the function of the skeletal muscles.

Drs. Hillary Clayton and Narelle Stubbs of Michigan State University have developed a series of physical therapy exercises that can be completed after the horse's surgery is complete to help strengthen the horse's core and back muscles. Dubbed the core abdominal rehabilitation exercise (CARE) program, the rehabilitation begins 30 days post-surgery and recommends four weeks of in-hand strengthening exercises. These exercises include lumbar lifts and limbering exercises that ask the horse to move his chin to his withers, chest, knees and fetlocks.

A study was done to determine if the CARE program allowed horses to return to work or to competition more rapidly than not implementing rehabilitation exercises post-surgery. Owners of horses that had had colic surgery between 2008 and 2017 were given the option of taking part in the CARE program. Those owners who chose to engage their horse in the program received a manual, DVD and schedule to follow. Horses that were alive one year after the colic surgery were able to be included in the study.

There were 62 total horses used for the study; 11 horses had completed the CARE protocol and 51 did not complete the program. Researchers reviewed each horse's medical records and sent out surveys asking about the horse's post-op care and progress. Questions included for how long the horse was on stall rest after surgery as well as the timeline on surgery, the beginning of work and the return to full training and competition. They were also asked how the horse was performing one year after the surgery.

Results showed that horses that participated in the CARE rehab program returned to work more quickly: On average within 60 days while the control horses returned to work in 90 days. CARE horses returned to full work in 75 days, versus the control horse's 120 days it took to return to full work.

The researchers concluded that the CARE protocol is beneficial post-surgery, but that it may also be helpful during any recovery that includes long periods of rest for the horse.