Your Horse Seems to Be in Pain—Could It Be Colic?

Last updated: September 22, 2026

By: Miles HenryFact Checked

If your horse is pawing, looking at his side, sweating, repeatedly lying down, or just not acting like himself, you’re probably wondering: Is this colic, and what should I do next? A horse that looks only mildly uncomfortable can still need prompt veterinary attention.

In this guide, I explain how to recognize the warning signs of colic, what to do while your veterinarian is on the way, which common mistakes to avoid, and what years of managing horses have taught me about acting quickly when a horse’s behavior changes.

When to Call the Vet for Colic

Call your veterinarian as soon as you suspect colic. You do not need to wait until the horse is violently rolling, drenched in sweat, or unable to stand. Early signs can be subtle, and some serious cases begin with a horse that simply seems “off.”

• Repeated pawing, flank-watching, kicking at the belly, or stretching as if trying to urinate.
• Getting up and down, rolling, lying flat out more than normal, or being unable to settle.
• Sweating, trembling, rapid breathing, depression, or unusual restlessness.
• Refusing feed, drinking less, passing less manure, diarrhea, or any sharp change from the horse’s normal behavior.
• Repeated or severe pain, especially when the horse may hurt itself or someone trying to handle it.

The problem for owners is that early signs can look almost identical even when the cause is very different. Gas, impaction, sand accumulation, inflammation, displacement, and torsion can all begin with a horse that seems uncomfortable. The Merck Veterinary Manual’s owner guide to colic explains why a veterinary examination matters when the outward signs overlap.

What to Do While You Wait for the Vet

1. Call your veterinarian first. Tell them when the signs began, what the horse is doing, whether manure has passed, and whether there have been recent changes in feed, turnout, travel, training, medication, or routine.
2. Remove feed. Take away hay, grain, treats, and pasture access unless your veterinarian tells you otherwise. Ask your vet how they want you to handle water in your horse’s situation.
3. Keep the horse and people safe. Put the horse in a secure place if you can do it safely. If he is violently rolling or thrashing, don’t put yourself in harm’s way trying to hold or move him.
4. Watch the horse and take notes. Your veterinarian doesn’t need you to figure out what’s wrong. They need the details you can provide: when the signs started, how the behavior changed, whether the horse has eaten or drunk, and whether manure or urine has passed.
5. Take basic observations only if you already know how. If you can safely take a temperature or heart rate, write it down and report it. Don’t delay the call or spend time chasing numbers while the horse is getting worse.
6. Follow your veterinarian’s direction about walking. A quiet horse doesn’t need to be marched around for hours. If the horse is trying to roll, your veterinarian may recommend controlled walking when it is safe, but walking doesn’t treat the cause of colic.
7. Get ready for the veterinarian. Have a halter and lead rope ready, turn on the lights, clear a safe working area, and know where your trailer is in case your veterinarian recommends referral.

Normal vital signs vary from horse to horse, so any number you collect is information for your veterinarian, not a diagnosis. If you want to practice taking normal temperature, pulse, and respiration before an emergency, the Texas A&M guide to normal horse vital signs is worth reviewing when your horse is healthy and relaxed.

Common Mistakes Owners Make During Colic

Most owners aren’t trying to do the wrong thing. They’re scared, it may be late at night, and they want to help. But these are the mistakes that can waste time or make a difficult situation harder to manage.

• Waiting to see if the horse gets over it. A horse may improve, stay the same, or worsen. You can’t reliably tell the cause from the stall, so call early.
• Giving Banamine without veterinary direction. Banamine is a prescription medication. Your veterinarian needs to decide whether it is appropriate, when it should be given, and at what dose.
• Giving mineral oil, feed, or oral fluids. Don’t put anything into the horse’s mouth unless your veterinarian directs you to. Mineral oil should be administered by a veterinarian through a nasogastric tube.
• Walking the horse until he is exhausted. One mistake I’ve seen owners make is walking a colicky horse for so long that both horse and handler are worn out. Walking may be appropriate in some situations, but it isn’t a treatment for the cause of colic.
• Loading up and hauling without veterinary advice. A referral hospital can be the right place for a serious case, but your veterinarian should make the call on whether and when to trailer the horse.

A Racetrack Lesson I Won’t Forget

I learned how quickly a horse can change with my filly, Diamond Country, at Evangeline Downs. She had passed her earlier veterinary check, but about an hour before her race she started acting wrong. She was sweating, restless, and trying to throw herself against the stall wall. Her heart rate was elevated, and her gut sounds had changed.

What stood out to me was how fast she went from looking like a horse with a problem to a horse that needed immediate attention. Horses don’t always read the textbook. Some show obvious pain from the start, while others simply act off. After enough years around racehorses, you learn to pay attention when something doesn’t fit that individual horse’s normal behavior.

We called the track veterinarian right away. She was examined, tubed, and stabilized under veterinary care, and she recovered. I’ve managed more than 20 acute colic cases during my years around racehorses, from horses that responded to medical treatment to cases that ended badly. The lesson hasn’t changed: don’t stand in the stall trying to decide whether a horse has “just gas.” Make the call early and let the veterinarian sort out the cause.

Reducing Colic Risk Through Daily Management

Good daily management won’t prevent every case of colic, but it can reduce some of the risks we can control. Once your veterinarian has evaluated your horse and he is back to normal, review the basics of feed, water, turnout, parasite control, and changes in routine.

• Make feed changes gradually. Avoid abrupt switches in hay, grain, pasture time, or feeding schedule. Our horse digestion guide explains why a horse’s digestive system does better with consistent routines.
• Pay attention to water intake. Keep clean water available and watch for reduced drinking during travel, hard work, hot weather, cold snaps, or any change in routine.
• Build the ration around steady forage intake. Performance horses in particular can have changing schedules, travel, and grain demands. Our racehorse feeding guide covers practical feeding considerations for horses in training.
• Use a veterinarian-guided parasite-control plan. Fecal egg counts and targeted deworming are more useful than guessing.
• Manage sand exposure where it is a concern. Feed off the ground when possible, provide adequate forage, and talk with your veterinarian about sand management if you live or stable on sandy soil.
• Have an emergency plan before you need it. Keep your veterinarian’s number, a referral-hospital contact, trailer access, a flashlight, thermometer, halter, and lead rope where you can find them quickly.

The American Association of Equine Practitioners’ colic-prevention guidance is also a good owner reference for reviewing everyday management with your veterinarian.

Horse Colic FAQs