colicky at rides

[Brian Ferguson <brianf@northcoast.com>]

I'm looking for some feedback on a problem I've had repeatedly with my
horse on 50mile rides.  It hasn't happened every time, but seems like it
may be getting worse.  He's mentally very competitive, feels anxious
when left behind, sweats quite a bit when he gets worked up, and when in
a group of horses at a ride, does o.k. if following a horse, but when in
front, his heart rate goes up 30 bpm. Also he has a hard time settling
down into a nice trot when he's excited, so wastes energy cantering
alot.  When alone, and into the ride for awhile, he'll finaly trot very
nicely.  The colicky problem happens after 20-25 miles, usually at the
lunch stop, after he's had a bit to eat and drink.  His pulse had come
down, but as he's eating it's gone back up and his stomach tightens up
in the lower rib/flank area, also across his loins.  He starts grunting,
and pacing, at which point I immediately start walking him.  He's walked
out of it at the last two rides, vet gives me the o.k. to go, however I
do take it easy. Ride before last he finished at the very end, nice and
slow, but the last ride, after coming out of it at the lunch stop, he
cramped up on the trail, after a good drink of water, and a small climb
up a hill (at a walk, with me off him).  I led him into camp (1-2
miles), and he had come out of it by the time I arrived.  It took awhile
for him to come down, and after he did, it elevated again while he was
eating at the trailer.  Another small bout of cramping.  Walked out of
it again, and since all other signs appeared to be fine, vet gave me
o.k. to continue, however I decided not to, because he just didn't seem
to be his usual self, and I especially didn't want this to happen AGAIN
on the trail!  (Even if I walked the remainder). These are the two rides
I've done this year.  After the first one, I talked to a vet, who said
maybe I need to electrolyte him a bit more, perhaps he was dehydrated.
He had gotten one dose the morning of the ride, and 2-3 half doses that
day.  Vet at most recent ride thought this may be a horse that can't
handle electrolytes, and not give him any more. (He had gotten a dose
Thursday night for the trailer ride, a half dose Fri. morn, a full dose
Fri. nite, and a full dose an hour before I started the ride Sat.
morn.). Then no more that day.  The first time this cramping took place
was at the end of a slow-moderate ride. About an hour after the finish,
2 years ago.  The next time was at a ride when he got a minimum of
electrolytes, and he got treated for dehydration at the lunch stop. He
had sweated alot at that ride, and drank from a questionable water
source not too soon before.  The next time he did this was at 3/4
through the ride, he had a hard time coming down, didn't continue, and
cramped up about 1/2 hour after he ate and drank some. That ride he also
sweated profusely, and was very excited, me trying to hold him back, and
making it worse for him, by getting him very aggitated at all the horses
that left him behind.  I'm beginning to think maybe this horse has an
internal problem we haven't found out about yet, and the stress of
endurance is taking it's toll.  This has never happened on a training
ride, altho I haven't done extreme training rides. Last year his first
ride was a pull(the rehydrating one), he completed the next one fine. (A
local ride).  Then another pull (not local ride).  Then finished the
last ride of '99 fine. (another local ride).  This most recent ride last
weekend, I thought I would do the beet pulp thing religiously to get
fiber and moisture in his gut. I don't feed him any grain because he is
too amped already. He is in a grass pasture, has been getting 1 flake of
alfalfa once a day, however beginning Mon. before this last ride, I only
feed him some supplemental "import" grass hay, since I've heard alfalfa
can be hard to process when under stress.  He's not at all thin, I'd say
about right.  At this last ride I had the opportunity to do a weigh in
before and after the ride.  He lost 60 lbs.  
     I would love any input on this horse. He's 11 yrs., and this is his
4th year. The first year was 25's, and one 50 in the fall. He's
completed 7 rides, and been pulled from 4.  I'm thinking about taking  
him to Davis Vet School for a complete evaluation.
  Thanks for your time.   

  Berit Meyer