Sand Colic - The Surprising (Simple) Cure & Prevention

Sand colic is digestive upset resulting from the accumulation of ingested sand and dirt. It occurs when particles sink to the bottom of the intestines where abrasion irritates the intestinal lining and causes discomfort. Sand Colic is estimated to be responsible for approximately 30% of colic cases.
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Read on to learn the most effective means for removal and the best way to prevent sand accumulation.

​Horses, donkeys and mules ingest sand as they eat from the ground or graze short pastures. Scrounging for tiny bits of hay or grain further increases the sand-to-forage ratio exponentially - accelerating the accumulation of sand. Further sand accumulation can be experienced if there are periods of time without feedstuff traveling through the digestive tract. Without ingesta (substances taken into the body as nourishment; food and drink) to mix with and carry the sand particles out, gravity forces the sand to settle in the bottom of the intestines. 

According to studies at the University of Florida, hay is overwhelmingly the most effective way to move sand from the digestive tract and prevent accumulation.

The University of Florida tested four means of sand removal:

1. Hay fed at 1.5% of body weight
2. Hay fed at 2.5% of body weight
3. Hay fed at 1.5% of body weight, plus psyllium fed in a single daily dose
4. Hay fed at 1.5% of body weight with psyllium fed twice daily.

The results indicated that feeding hay at 2.5% of body weight (25 lbs. for a 1000 lb. horse) uniformly produced the largest sand output.

Free choice hay - via slow feeders or loose - supplies a steady supply of fiber moving through the digestive tract carrying sand out with manure prior to settling in the large colon by promoting gut motility and volume. Learn how to give your horse more chew time and bulk (without the weight gain).
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Considering the volume of ingesta, sufficient amounts of hay provide:

• Lower sand to ingesta ratio.
• Volume to carry sand through the digestive tract prior to it having the ability to settle in the lower portions of the intestines.
• Increased gut motility with a constant supply moving through the digestive tract (optimum when proper hydration and movement is present).
• Peristaltic and antiperistaltic contractions, leading to additional mixing of ingesta and sand.

Prior to the University of Florida’s study,  the standard protocol for sand removal was feeding psyllium (a mucilaginous substance). Psyllium absorbs liquids from the intestines and swells as it moves through the digestive tract.

However, a study conducted at the University of Illinois over an 11 day period found that ponies dosed with psyllium in an attempt to remove sand were no more efficient at sand removal than ponies given a control diet. The study's conclusion: psyllium mucilloid had no apparent effect on sand evacuation from the equine large intestine.
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Given the short period of time (11 days) the results may not 1) represent the effectiveness of psyllium fed over a longer period of time or 2) consider smaller volumes of ingested sand. The University of Florida’s study does, however,  show sufficient hay alone is more effective than psyllium.

​Horses are designed to graze/forage 16-20 hours a day - ingesting small amounts as they move from place to place. It is possible to mimic the horse's natural lifestyle – to allow free choice forage and slow consumption (if necessary) - while encouraging movement. This scenario compliments their digestive tract - providing optimum conditions for a very complex, vast and sensitive route of ingesta from intake to excretion.
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