Sand colic in horses: signs, causes and how to reduce the risk
Sand colic can occur when a horse ingests sand or soil, which then accumulates within the gastrointestinal tract. While small amounts may pass through naturally, larger accumulations can irritate the gut, interfere with normal digestion and, in some cases, lead to potentially serious colic.
Horses living or grazing in sandy areas may be particularly at risk, but sand ingestion can happen anywhere horses eat from bare or heavily grazed ground.
Understanding the potential signs and taking simple preventative measures can help reduce the risk.
What causes sand colic in horses?
Horses don't necessarily deliberately eat sand. In many cases, it is ingested accidentally while grazing or feeding.
Common risk factors include:
Grazing very short or sparse grass, particularly on sandy soil
Pulling up grass roots along with soil when pastures are overgrazed
Eating hay or hard feed directly from sandy or bare ground
Deliberately eating soil or sand, which may sometimes be associated with boredom or an attempt to satisfy a nutritional need
Over time, ingested sand can settle within the gastrointestinal tract. If enough accumulates, it may cause irritation, diarrhoea, reduced gut motility or an obstruction.
What are the signs of sand colic?
The signs can vary depending on the amount of sand present and how it is affecting the horse.
Possible symptoms include:
Mild or recurring abdominal discomfort
Loose droppings or diarrhoea
Passing fewer droppings than normal
Pawing at the ground
Rolling or repeatedly attempting to lie down
Looking around at the flank or abdomen
Kicking at the belly
Curling the upper lip
Reduced appetite
Weight loss
Some horses may experience relatively subtle or intermittent symptoms, while others can develop more obvious signs of colic.
Any signs of colic should be taken seriously. If your horse is showing abdominal pain or you are concerned about a change in their behaviour, appetite or droppings, contact your vet for advice.
How is sand accumulation diagnosed?
If sand accumulation is suspected, your vet will consider your horse's symptoms, management and grazing environment alongside their clinical examination.
Testing faeces can sometimes identify sand being passed through the digestive system. However, the amount of sand found in a faecal sample does not necessarily tell us how much has accumulated within the gastrointestinal tract.
Abdominal radiography (X-rays) can be particularly useful because it can help identify and assess significant sand accumulation within the abdomen.
Your vet can then recommend the most appropriate treatment or management plan based on their findings.
How can you help prevent sand colic?
One of the most effective approaches is to reduce the amount of sand and soil your horse is able to ingest.
Keep feed off bare ground
Avoid feeding hay or hard feed directly from sandy, muddy or bare surfaces. Instead, use hay feeders, buckets, mangers or suitable rubber matting.
Remember that horses can still pick feed from around a bucket or haynet, so consider the surface underneath their feeding area too.
Avoid overgrazing
When grass becomes very short, horses are more likely to graze extremely close to the soil and pull up roots, increasing the amount of dirt and sand they consume.
Good pasture management and providing additional forage where necessary can help reduce this risk.
Provide plenty of forage
Adequate forage supports normal digestive function and can play an important role in helping material move through the gastrointestinal tract.
Consider psyllium when appropriate
Psyllium is sometimes used as part of the management of horses at risk of sand accumulation. However, supplementation should be discussed with your vet, who can advise whether it is appropriate for your individual horse and how it should be given.
Provide access to salt
Horses should have access to an appropriate source of salt to help meet their sodium and chloride requirements. Keep salt blocks or other salt sources off the ground to prevent additional sand or soil ingestion.
Worried your horse may have ingested sand?
Prevention is always preferable, particularly for horses kept on sandy ground or sparse pasture. Simple changes to feeding and grazing management can significantly reduce the amount of soil a horse consumes.
If your horse has recurrent digestive problems, loose droppings, unexplained weight loss or symptoms of colic, speak to your vet. They can assess whether sand accumulation could be contributing to the problem and advise on the most appropriate next steps.
If your horse is showing signs of colic, contact your veterinary team promptly for advice.