03/24/2026
I dont know about you but I'm always observing the horses when I am around them.
This is what allowed me to quickly identify that Rip was extremely uncomfortable just over a week ago. Thankfully I was able to take note of the things that would be considered strange behavior from him as he had signs of colic. I was able to intervene and he is still doing well!
For him, pawing was the first thing I noticed that was strange because even at feeding time he is not a horse that paws much. I've had some horses that get excited when its feeding time and they paw or sometimes they put a leg on a bar of the fence and do a little stretch until they get their food. That would not necessarily catch my eye as "whats going on with the horse?!".
How many of you know what would be considered abnormal behavior for your horse or horses?
If you cant answer that question, it may give you fresh eyes when you go out to see your horse tonight!