How often should you deworm a horse?

Another question that will have various answers, depending on who you ask. :-)

A good general rule of thumb is to deworm your horse about every 3 months, or 4 times per year.

A good way to keep up with this is to deworm your horse every time the seasons change. Check the official dates of Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and write it in right on your calendar. Great for remembering to change the batteries on your smoke detectors, too! :D

Types of Colic

Spasmodic colic is believed to be the most common cause of intestinal colic. It can be caused when a hot horse drinks cold water. It can also be caused by fear or stress, therefore flighty, nervous, high-strung horses are more susceptible to spasmodic colic than a calmer, more laid back, "bomb proof" horse, especially during transportation, moving to a new environment, being separated from its herd, etc.

Impaction colic is very common as well. It's usually caused by the horse overeating, usually too much grain. The horse not having enough water to drink, a heavy worm infestation or the horse not chewing its food properly (due to either eating too fast or dental problems), are all common causes of impaction colic. (A good reason to keep your horses teeth checked).

There is also Flatulent Colic, also known as Tympanic colic. It's more the "indigestion" type colic which causes a lot of gas and pain, normally caused from eating too much grain or grass or eating moldy or bad feed.

Again, colic is an emergency. Call your vet immediately if your horse shows signs of colicking.