Equine colic guidance shifts from forced walking to safe monitoring

A fresh article from The Horse is tackling one of the most persistent questions in equine emergency care: whether a horse showing signs of colic should be allowed to lie down while the veterinarian is on the way. In the May 7, 2026 piece, equine surgeon Michael Fugaro, VMD, Dipl. ACVS, says the answer is often yes, provided the horse is resting quietly and not putting itself in danger. His core message is that the goal is not to keep every colicky horse marching, but to prevent self-trauma and monitor for escalation. (thehorse.com)

That matters because the “keep them walking” advice has had unusual staying power in horse care culture. Colic, of course, is a broad term for abdominal pain rather than a single diagnosis, and authoritative references still stress that severity can range from mild discomfort to life-threatening surgical disease. Merck notes that signs can include pawing, flank watching, sweating, lying down, and rolling, while ACVS warns that repeated attempts to lie down, get up, or violently roll can accompany more serious cases and that delayed treatment can worsen survival odds. (merckvetmanual.com)

Fugaro’s comments appear to refine, rather than contradict, that standard teaching. According to The Horse, allowing quiet movement and recumbency is generally acceptable if the horse remains calm, while continuous forced walking is not necessary. Other veterinary-facing and educational sources align with that practical middle ground. PetMD advises that short periods of walking may help if a horse is pawing or trying to lie down, but cautions against prolonged or strenuous exercise because it can leave the horse more tired and dehydrated. University of Minnesota Extension similarly notes that some horses can be walked while awaiting evaluation, depending on the situation, underscoring that blanket advice doesn’t fit every case. (thehorse.com)

What veterinarians are likely to recognize here is a shift from folklore to risk-based triage. The key distinction is not simply whether the horse is down, but how it is down. A horse lying quietly may be safer left resting in a protected area, whereas a horse repeatedly throwing itself down or rolling hard presents both a welfare issue and a human safety risk. ACVS guidance describes violent rolling and repeated down-up behavior as severe pain signs, and its client materials emphasize immediate examination for horses showing colic. (acvs.org)

Expert reaction in the formal sense was limited in publicly available coverage, but the broader veterinary literature supports the article’s main point: movement can be useful if it keeps the horse calm and safe, yet there is little support for exhausting the animal through nonstop hand-walking. The Horse frames the priority as close observation and injury prevention, not ritualized exercise. That’s consistent with current client education from multiple sources that focus on calling the veterinarian promptly, withholding feed, monitoring vital signs and manure production when possible, and reporting any medications already given. (thehorse.com)

Why it matters: For equine practitioners, this is less about a new clinical standard than about communication. Colic remains one of the most common equine emergencies, and client decisions in the first 30 to 60 minutes can shape both safety and outcome. A simpler message for pet parents may be: call immediately, remove feed, keep the horse in the safest environment possible, permit quiet rest, discourage dangerous rolling, and don’t assume walking alone will resolve the problem. That kind of wording can reduce confusion, lower handler injury risk, and help practices standardize after-hours triage advice. (acvs.org)

There is also an operational angle for ambulatory and referral teams. If clients are taught to observe pain intensity, manure output, heart rate if known, recent feed changes, and response to any veterinarian-directed Banamine administration, they can give a more useful history on arrival. Merck specifically notes that progression of signs, severity of pain, fecal passage, and prior treatments are important to diagnosis, while ACVS outlines the physical exam and diagnostics that follow, including nasogastric intubation, rectal exam, blood work, and ultrasound in selected cases. (merckvetmanual.com)

What to watch: The next step is likely not a regulatory change, but broader harmonization of client-facing colic advice across practices, hospitals, and equine media, with more emphasis on safety, early veterinary contact, and avoiding outdated one-size-fits-all instructions. (thehorse.com)