January 2003

Subtle Gut Pain

Don’t immediately dismiss a slight change in gait as insignificant.

Note whether a horse actually drinks water ûor just plays with it and moves away without ûdrinking much.

Your horse seems to have an odd stiffness. He’s dragging his hind feet and seems reluctant to move off. You figure he’s lame. You’re probably right—if the symptom is worse on one side. But if it’s even and the horse also resents having his belly/flanks touched and/or he shows other behavior changes consider abdominal pain.

With chronic and low-grade abdominal pain, symptoms can be subtle and easily confused with other problems. Horses in any kind of pain often appear preoccupied and disinterested in their surroundings, which occurs because the horse is distracted by—and focused on—the discomfort. …