Colicky horse

[Sarah Ralston <ralston@AESOP.RUTGERS.EDU>]

Dear Berit,

	My mare, Fling went through a similar situation for two years, just about
at the same age.
Nervous sweat, hyped at the rides or even "pleasure" rides with groups,
"colicking" after we
got home-usually within 15 min to 1/2 hour, though actually is was more like
whole body muscle spasms, after stressful situations. This went on for two
years-
even in training rides when I went out with more than one friend. I didn't
even compete with her when
she was at her worst. Bottom line with her was insufficient electrolytes.
The one time she crashed at a ride, I'd given her lots before
but not enough during-she started drinking like a fish, I didn't give her
more electrolytes and she
crashed big time (I wrote a thorough description about it two years ago).
Sounds exactly like what
your guy is doing. I fiddled around with different recipes and found that
when she was "mind farting" 
she needed more calcium and magnesium in her electrolytes. Also, the
Northen Lytes, available from
Trish Dowling at Saskatoon (dowling@sask.usask.ca) worked really well with
her.
Forget the heart monitor-listen to his heart-the first sign she was getting
into 
trouble was always an irregular heart beat -fast, then slow, then fast, etc. 
That doesn't show up on the monitor. Every time we pull into a vet check I
check her heart-if its
even a little irregular, she gets double doses, if its regular, a single
dose. I carry two
types of Lytes-Homemade "mind Fart" recipe, and the Northern Lytes. I try
to limit the 
preloads, and dose according to how much she was sweating and how nervous
she was. 
So far, it seems to have worked. Plus, with all the miles she has on her
now, her mind farts are getting
fewer and farther apart.

Good luck with your guy. I know how frustrating (and frightening!) it can be!

Sarah and Fling (Thank you-I'm much calmer now)