Chiroprac�c and the Colicky Horse

for the

COLICKY Horse

Story By Dr. Bill Ormston and Dr. Amy Hayak

By definition colic is abdominal pain and in the horse that usually signifies a problem with the GI tract. There are many different types of colic; sand, gas, twisting, entrapment to name a few. The treatment will vary according to what type of colic it is.

Chiropractic care is geared at correcting musculoskeletal problems. It has been shown that horses with sore backs and those that are unable to turn correctly respond favorably to chiropractic care.

So how can these two be related?

First let us take a look at the GI system. It is comprised of smooth muscle that must contract appropriately to move ingesta through the tract. This coordinated movement is orchestrated by the central nervous system and is aided by the muscles of the back and abdomen. Poor coordina�on and improper communica�on between the brain and bowels leads to poor muscle tone and inappropriate movement, causing problems with diges�on. These problems lead to colic. The muscles of the abdomen and back are very important in suppor�ng the organs of the GI tract and also provide the abdominal press necessary for the proper expulsion that occurs during rou�ne urina�on and defeca�on. Weak or sore back muscles will hinder the ability of your horse to properly squat to aid in elimina�on. Weak or saggy abdominal muscles will hinder the amount of abdominal press that is applied to help move waste products towards the outside.

Chiroprac�c care works well for musculoskeletal problems because if helps restore nerve flow to the target organ. When an area of the spine is not moving, it accumulates inflamma�on (fluid that can’t move out of the area). The equine chiropractor finds areas of the spine that are not moving correctly, applies a specific force to restore movement which aids in reducing inflamma�on in that area. This reduc�on of inflamma�on removes pressure from the nerves as they exit the spinal column. It has been proven that the weight of a feather on a nerve will decrease the rate at which impulses travel along that nerve by 50%. A decrease in communica�on between the brain and muscles results in improper func�on and weakening of the muscle. Jason Edwards, MD; “The quality of healing is directly propor�onal to the func�onal capability of the central nervous system to send and receive messages.” Now that we can see how colic and chiroprac�c care are related, we can discuss adding chiroprac�c to the treatment plan. Chiroprac�c is a modality that allows the body’s own intelligence to aid in healing it. This is the same intelligence that enabled two cells (the egg and the sperm) to grow into the magnificent animal that is your horse. According to an ar�cle in the European Spine Journal “Proper spinal func�on can help balance a key component of the body, the autonomic nervous system, which regulates many aspects of the health from blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing to gut func�on, sexual arousal and controlling stress.”

This healing process may take �me; the muscles of the abdomen and GI tract didn’t become weak overnight, and they won’t become strong overnight either. If your horse is having symptoms of acute colic you may need to use some tradi�onal treatments along with a visit from your cer�fied equine chiropractor. In horses recovering from an acute case of colic or dealing with recurrent colic, a visit from your AVCA cer�fied equine chiropractor every couple of weeks will increase the rate of healing and aid in the preven�on of more bouts of uncomfortable and some�mes serious GI tract issues. In their book �tled The Healthy Brain, Drs. Ornstein and Sobel write that the central role of the brain and nervous system is maintaining the resistance of the body. Health maintenance is the primary func�on of the brain.

During a visit your equine chiropractor will examine and adjust your horse’s spine. In order to help your chronic colic case, the AVCA cer�fied equine chiropractor is trained to offer you sugges�ons for rehabilita�ng your horse to strengthen his abdominal muscles. Just like in humans, equine cross training will help in building even strength and flexibility and aid in increasing performance in the chosen discipline. Core training for the equine is not limited to bu� tucks. Hill climbing, trot poles and half halts are all part of building the core. In order to avoid the threat of colic in your horses, aligning their spines is the first line of defense. The muscle training can only be done once the signal from the brain is turned on. Think of it like reading a book in a dark room. It can be done but with difficulty. Once you turn on the light it can be done more easily and accurately. So too with the G.I. tract of your horse. Schedule an appointment with your cer�fied equine chiropractor for all of your horses, especially the ones that have been prone to colic.

Basically, colic is caused by the inappropriate movement of waste through the GI tract.