CONSULTANTS
MANAGEMENT
An unhappy traveler
Q: My 15-year-old mare is a veteran show horse. She performs well and always seems relaxed and happy when I load her for the return trips. However, twice in the past year she arrived home looking uncomfortable. Both times, I called my veterinarian, who diagnosed a mild colic and gave her a dose of Banamine.
She recovered fully within a few hours each time. But I am hesitant to put her on a trailer again. Can transport alone cause colic? What might be going on?
Name withheld upon request
A: This is a really important topic. Most cases of colic are caused by changes in feed, water or management, including work schedules, turnout times and types of pasture. What many people don’t realize is that transport can be considered a management change.
Trailering per se is not the problem; rather it is the change in
