I agree, a mild gas-sy colic can happen to anyone, anytime. More often, tho, I've seen it related to new feed stuff. Last weekend, my jr rider and I attempted a slow to moderately paced (we did 25 miles in 4 hrs) 50 mile ride (Last Hoorah). My horse was pulled at 25 miles for a mild lameness (we think it was a stone/heel bruise) and my jr opted to RO. She continued to ride her gelding bareback around camp. A few hrs later, we ck'd on him at the trailer and he went to lay down in broad daylight. We ran him over to the vets and they ck'd him. He wasn't dehydrated and had slightly elevated gut sounds. I have him some banamine and he brightened up right away.
The culprit? We had parked in a lush grassy spot and he ate himself a bare spot around the trailer and also stole his neighbor's coastal hay. He also ate lush grass while being ridden around camp. This horse is usually on a dry lot eating alfalfa... the change in feed was probably the cause. We learned our lesson.
This past weekend, the Jr rode w/ another adult, same horse, and we were careful not to let him share my horse's coastal and limited the grass he ate (normal, small quantities at the vet cks and on trail, not a huge meal by the trailer). No problems. The horse completed a 50 and vet said he was in excellent condition at the end of the ride.
