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   Haven't heard a definitive answer back from any vets yet re: whether 
stomach ruptures can occur other than as a result of an impaction 
colic--but several people have posted me privately with examples 
indicating that they can.
   So here, in a very convoluted way, is what I am interested in:
   The most frightening thing, to me, is the horses that suddenly get 
into trouble, or even die, for no apparent reason.  These would be fit, 
experienced horses ridden well within their capabilities that give no 
notice to their highly competent riders and vets that there is anything 
wrong--pass all parameters, etc--and then just suddenly crash.  It is 
frightening because we don't know why it happens, and so we have no way 
to prevent it; and it does seem to be able to 'happen to anybody'.
   At least some of these horses seem to be presenting a ruptured 
stomach, which apparently does not produce the kind of pain an 
intestinal colic does, and so is harder to detect.  We may be diagnosing 
them better because it is easier now to ship to clinics, etc; perhaps 
riders are more inclined to ask for necropsies...But even when the cause 
of death is 'ruptured stomach', we still don't know   WHY it ruptured, 
especially in the absence of an impaction colic.
   So, my question is: could this be the result of a cumulative 
effect?  Perhaps many small colics, or episodes of stomach distension 
that may not even have been noticed?  We know that some 
things--especially tying up--can have a cumulative effect.  Each episode 
causes a little more kidney damage until the result can be renal 
failure.  Many times, once a horse does something once--thump, for 
example--they are more prone to do it again unless the rider makes 
heroic efforts to prevent it.  Could this also be true of 'colic'?  How 
could we know?  Are "colics" at rides identical with "colics" at home?  
Do they/can they produce cumulative damage that can rise up and bite us 
without notice?
   The GI tract is the horse's "weakest link".  (to disagree with 
Howard that it is poorly designed; we are just not using it in the way 
nature intended).  I wonder if many horses don't "die of colic" because 
the heart is simply too strong to fail them, and something has to give...
   What do you all think?

terre


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