keeping away feed from colic struck horse

Question
hello sir, why to keep away all the feed from the colic struck horse? why to provide only little water for such horses?

Answer
Hi Rohit,

Thank you for your question.  A horse with a torsion colic or an impaction is better off not having any feed until the situation is remedied...the volume of feed can build behind the twist or the impacted area and only increase the pain or the blockage.  Water is good for impacted horses as it can help soften the lodged feed (and impactions often result from dehydration).  I actually prefer to allow horses with gas colic to eat small amounts of forages, preferably grass hay as they work to dissipate the gas in the hindgut.  You wouldn't want a horse with gas colic to have starch or sugar rich feeds including lush grass.  Drinking water is of little harm to a horse with gas colic.

Thanks, Corlena