Colic – I hate it.  It worries me and, like most things equine, there are so many conflicting treatments – walk, don’t walk, feed, starve, etc.

So this morning when I went up to take Taktur out for his feed, I noticed these flat marks all over the field.  My waters churned.

I searched round the herd to see who had caused this.

Haakon was fat and fine with the usual acceptable level of filth.

Iacs was hopeful and of similar hue.

Fakur was being a fuzzy mountain goat.

and Taktur was his usual handsome self.

So all eyes turned to our visitor, Kappi, Bjørn’s Icelandic horse and I felt sick.

He was completely clarted in mud and the rolling patches in the field were everywhere.  He had obviously been busy.

I grabbed him and Taktur and took them over to Thordale.  Taktur had his grub and I put Kappi in the small paddock watching him all the time for more signs of rolling, sweating, discomfort, anything.  He seemed fine, apart from looking disgusting.

    

I made up a small holed haynet so he couldn’t gorge and only nibble away at it.

I phoned his owner, Bjørn, who was at work and explained what I had done and then I waited and watched.   Still nothing.  Kappi was perfectly happy eating.

I could see from the hoof prints in the paddock that he had walked over to the water and drunk.  I offered him a carrot and he said thank you very much, and he did a lovely medium sized poo (OCD now) with nothing suspicious in it.  Taktur stayed nearby with his hay net too.  I didn’t want anyone stressed by being on their own.

So, I went on watching all afternoon.  Bjørn messaged me to take away Kappi’s haynet, so I did and put Taktur in so they could be together.  They stood and looked miserable together in the muck heap.

Still nothing, no discomfort, no rolling, no sweating, no nothing (not that I wanted him to suffer but it would be good to have my diagnosis confirmed a little).

Bjørn popped by after work this evening and we went out with torches.  He agreed with my opinion and we agreed that whatever it was seemed to have settled on it’s own.  He wormed him (due now) and I gave Kappi his small-holed hay net again, which he was very pleased to see.  I will keep him in the paddock with Taktur about, and carefully monitor him for a few more days.  No poo will go unturned now!

I hate colic.  Oh, the worry.