When My Own Horse Colicked, I Almost Forgot the Product I Formulated
Gunner’s eight-hour colic scare reinforced an important lesson:
When a horse is in pain, preparation matters, and apparent improvement doesn’t always mean the emergency is over.
I formulated Equine Colic Relief because I understand how serious colic can be for a horse, as well as how frightening it can be for the person caring for them. But when my own horse began showing signs of colic, I almost forgot to give it to him.
That tells you something about what it feels like when colic happens to your own horse.
Knowledge can give way to adrenaline remarkably quickly.
When Gunner began showing signs of abdominal pain, my wife Helen and I went into emergency mode. We contacted our veterinarian, administered Banamine as directed, monitored him, walked him and watched for manure.
Then he passed two small bowel movements and seemed better.
We thought we were in the clear.
We weren't.
Gunner's Pain Came Back
Gunner began pawing again. He wanted to lie down.
The pain that seemed to have subsided had returned.
Eventually he did lie down, and I remember looking at him and genuinely wondering whether I might be watching my horse die.
Anyone who has experienced a serious colic episode knows how quickly your mind can go there.
Then our veterinarian asked a question that stopped me:
“Did you give him your Colic Relief?”
I couldn't believe I hadn't.
In the stress of the situation, I had instinctively reached first for what we knew to do: Banamine, walking him, and watching for manure.
Because Gunner was experiencing an acute episode, we gave him a substantial dose of Equine Colic Relief.
Within approximately five minutes, we observed a remarkable change. Gunner stood quietly and calmly followed Helen under the awning. His behavior looked much more like the Gunner we knew.
The timing made a powerful impression on us.
That being said, Gunner's experience is an individual case, not a controlled clinical trial.
What I can tell you is what we observed and what the experience taught us.
Why Temporary Improvement Doesn't Necessarily Mean a Horse Is in the Clear
One of the biggest lessons from Gunner's experience was how reassuring a temporary improvement can feel.
He had passed manure. He seemed better.
Then his pain returned.
That is exactly why a horse's overall clinical picture matters more than any one sign.
Colic describes abdominal pain rather than one diagnosis, and its causes and severity vary substantially. Some cases respond to medical management, while others involve serious intestinal problems requiring intensive treatment or surgery.
In a prospective study of 1,016 horses assessed by veterinary practitioners for clinical signs of abdominal pain, higher pain scores and heart rate, prolonged capillary refill time, weak pulse character, and absence of gastrointestinal sounds in at least one abdominal quadrant were associated with critical cases. Absence of gut sounds in one or more abdominal quadrants was associated with higher odds of a case being classified as critical. ¹
In other words, passing manure or having one period of apparent comfort should not be used alone to decide that the underlying problem has resolved.
If pain returns, persists or worsens, contact your veterinarian and update them.
Gunner Had an Impaction, But Colic Has Many Possible Causes
Gunner was ultimately dealing with an impaction rather than a strangulating or “twisted” intestine.
That distinction matters.
A large-colon impaction occurs when feed material and other intestinal contents become sufficiently dry, firm, or accumulated that normal passage through part of the large colon is impaired. Horses with large-colon impactions may initially show mild or intermittent colic signs, but a veterinarian must assess the horse to determine the severity and appropriate treatment.
In a prospective study of 120 horses with primary large-colon impaction, 67.5% initially showed mild, intermittent pain and 76% had reduced gut sounds. Most cases were classified as medical at initial assessment, but 9.2% were classified as critical because the horse required surgery, died, or was euthanized.²
In that study, heart rate and gut sounds were among the most useful initial parameters for distinguishing medical from critical large-colon-impaction cases.²
That's an important reminder:
A horse owner cannot reliably determine the seriousness or cause of colic from the apparent intensity of pain alone.
What Should You Monitor While Waiting for Your Veterinarian?
One of the most useful things a horse owner can do during a suspected colic episode is observe carefully and communicate those observations to the veterinarian.
Your veterinarian may want information such as:
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Heart rate
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Respiratory rate
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Rectal temperature
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Gum or mucous-membrane appearance
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Capillary refill time
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Gut sounds
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Manure production
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Drinking behavior
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When signs first appeared
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Whether pain is constant or intermittent
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Whether the pain is becoming more severe
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Medications or other products already administered
Don't use any one measurement to diagnose the cause yourself. These observations become useful when your veterinarian interprets them together with the physical examination and, when necessary, additional diagnostic procedures.
Research supports the importance of interpreting these observations together. In the prospective study of 1,016 horses with clinical signs of abdominal pain, increased heart rate, higher pain scores, prolonged capillary refill time, weak pulse character, and absent gut sounds were among the variables associated with critical cases.¹
A separate study found that heart rate and packed cell volume at hospital admission were higher in horses that underwent surgery than in horses treated medically. These measures can contribute useful information to veterinary decision-making, but they do not independently diagnose the cause of colic or determine whether surgery is required.³
What About Banamine?
Flunixin meglumine, often called by the brand name Banamine, is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) veterinarians may use to help manage pain and inflammation in horses with colic.
However, reducing visible pain does not identify or resolve the underlying cause of the colic episode.
A 2023 systematic review of NSAID therapy for equine abdominal pain found limited evidence for determining whether one NSAID provides superior analgesia to another in horses with abdominal pain.⁴
Like other NSAIDs, flunixin can have gastrointestinal and renal adverse effects. Veterinary reviews identify particular concern when NSAIDs are used in critically ill, dehydrated, or volume-depleted horses, and with excessive or prolonged exposure.⁵,⁶
Owners should give flunixin only under their veterinarian’s instructions, including instructions about whether it should be given, when it should be given, and whether repeat dosing is appropriate.
And if a horse becomes painful again after receiving an analgesic, tell the veterinarian.
Recurring pain is information your veterinarian needs.
Should You Walk a Horse With Colic?
The herd stayed by Gunner’s side as we walked him for hours through 90-degree heat and biting flies.
Walking a colicky horse has long been part of traditional horse-owner advice.
But it shouldn't become a substitute for veterinary assessment or an exhausting marathon for an already sick horse.
The immediate goal is safety.
If quietly walking helps prevent a horse from violently throwing itself down while veterinary help is being arranged, your veterinarian may advise it. But owners should follow their veterinarian's instructions for the individual case rather than assuming continuous walking will resolve an impaction.
During Gunner's episode, we did take him on a short trailer ride to move things around. That's part of what happened in our story. However, I don't want another horse owner interpreting our decision as evidence that trailering is a proven treatment for impaction colic.
It isn't something I would tell owners to substitute for veterinary care.
Whether a horse should be walked, allowed to rest quietly, transported, or referred to a hospital depends on the individual horse’s condition and the veterinarian’s direction.
Where Equine Colic Relief Fit Into Gunner's Story
After our veterinarian reminded us about Equine Colic Relief, we administered it to Gunner.
As I mentioned earlier, the behavioral change we observed afterward was striking. Within approximately five minutes, he appeared considerably calmer and more comfortable.
That experience naturally means something to me as Gunner's owner and as the person who formulated the product.
Equine Colic Relief is formulated so it can be used alongside Banamine (flunixin meglumine), making it another tool horse owners can have available as part of their colic preparedness plan.
It is not, however, a replacement for veterinary diagnosis or treatment. If you suspect colic, contact your veterinarian promptly, follow their instructions regarding medications and treatment, and continue monitoring your horse closely.
Eight Hours Later, We Had Gunner Back
Eventually, Gunner began acting like himself again.
He showed interest in grass and ate most of his mash.
After roughly eight frightening hours, we finally felt like we had our horse back.
The relief was enormous.
But what stayed with me afterward wasn't simply what we gave him.
It was how easily fear disrupted our thinking.
I formulated Equine Colic Relief for this exact purpose, yet in the middle of my own horse's emergency, I initially forgot about it.
That's why my biggest takeaway from Gunner's colic isn't about any single product.
It's about preparation.
Prepare for Colic Before You're Facing It
You don't want to develop your colic plan while your horse is pawing, sweating or repeatedly trying to lie down.
Prepare it beforehand.
Know your veterinarian's regular and after-hours phone numbers. Know how to take your horse's basic vital signs. Keep a thermometer and other veterinarian-recommended supplies where you can find them immediately.
Know what your veterinarian wants you to do, and what they don't want you to do, before they arrive.
Know where the nearest appropriate referral hospital is and have a transportation plan should your horse need one.
Keep a written record of medications, supplements and other products your horse receives.
Most importantly, don't allow temporary improvement to give you false confidence when other warning signs remain or pain returns.
Remember, colic describes abdominal pain rather than one diagnosis, and its causes and severity vary substantially. Veterinary literature emphasizes careful clinical assessment and timely referral when examination findings or the horse’s response to initial management suggest a risk of serious intestinal disease or need for intensive medical or surgical care.¹,⁷
Gunner's story had a happy ending. We’re so grateful for that.
The experience also gave us a reminder I won't forget:
When colic strikes, your most valuable tool is a plan you made before the emergency began.
If you believe your horse is showing signs of colic, contact your veterinarian promptly and never delay veterinary care. Equine Colic Relief can be kept on hand as another tool in your colic preparedness plan. As Gunner’s experience taught us, the best time to prepare for colic is before you’re facing it.
References
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Curtis L, Burford JH, Thomas JSM, Curran ML, Bayes TC, England GCW, et al. Prospective study of the primary evaluation of 1016 horses with clinical signs of abdominal pain by veterinary practitioners, and the differentiation of critical and non-critical cases. Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica. 2015;57:69. doi:10.1186/s13028-015-0160-9.
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Jennings KM, Curtis L, Burford JH, Freeman SL. Prospective survey of veterinary practitioners’ primary assessment of equine colic: clinical features, diagnoses, and treatment of 120 cases of large colon impaction. BMC Veterinary Research. 2014;10(Suppl 1). doi:10.1186/1746-6148-10-S1-S2.
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Kadunc Kos VK, Kramaric P, Brloznik M. Packed cell volume and heart rate to predict medical and surgical cases and their short-term survival in horses with gastrointestinal-induced colic. Canadian Veterinary Journal. 2022;63(4):365–372.
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van Loon JPAM, et al. Analgesic efficacy of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug therapy in horses with abdominal pain: a systematic review. Animals (Basel). 2023;13(22):3447. doi:10.3390/ani13223447.
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Cook VL, Blikslager AT. The use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in critically ill horses. Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care (San Antonio). 2015;25(1):76–88. doi:10.1111/vec.12271.
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Flood J, Stewart AJ. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and associated toxicities in horses. Animals (Basel). 2022;12(21):2939. doi:10.3390/ani12212939.
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Bookbinder L, Prisk A. Updates on diagnosis and management of colic in the field and criteria for referral. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice. 2023;39(2):175–195. doi:10.1016/j.cveq.2023.03.001.
