04/19/2026
This one went down at 5pm on a weekday. We watched it unfold in real time.
Lying down more than normal.
Neck stretching.
Wouldn’t shake when he got up.
Then didn’t want to get up at all.
Lethargic. No appetite.
It was escalating fast.
We moved immediately. Vet on standby. (Called vet immediately)
But we started treatment ourselves first.
First- vitals. Normal heart rate. No fever. Minimal gut sounds.
Took him trailer. Got a p**p.
Then 2g bute + electrolytes orally.
Wait 30 min.
Followed by mineral oil + more electrolytes.
Within an hour he was standing easier.
We took him to the trailer. Got another p**p.
Still dull, but trending the right direction.
We kept it simple.
Light walking. Mostly rest.
(Research supports letting them rest if they aren’t thrashing.)
By 8pm we gave 1 more gram of bute.
(Pretty sure he spit part of the first dose.)
An hour later
Eating. Drinking. Bright.
One flake hay. Dry lot overnight.
Half grain next morning. Back to normal by 9am.
A lot of people would have called the vet out immediately or gone straight to banamine.
Here’s why we didn’t:
• We’re prepared. Vet was ready if needed. Could’ve been here in 30min
• Most colics can resolve with correct early intervention. We caught it early.
• Banamine can mask pain without fixing the problem which can delay the moment you realize it’s serious. We stick with bute first.
Edit to add: as stated- the first thing we did was cal the vet. This was their direct advice. And it has worked for us every time with colics caught early such as this one. Follow whatever advice you want for your own horse. We like our vet.
I know this is a controversial topic. Banamine is everyone’s go to. That’s why I posted it.
