Welfare / / 2 min read
Colic: the five sign groups, and the plan you should write before you need it
The British Horse Society has restated its colic campaign, pointing to recent shifts in grass growth. Here is what it asks owners to know and to write down.
Written by HL Media
The facts
- Campaign
- REACT Now to Beat Colic, run by the BHS with the University of Nottingham
- Anniversary
- October 2026 marks ten years since the 2016 launch
- Research finding
- Colic accounted for one in three emergency veterinary visits
- Owner confidence
- 90% of owners did not feel confident spotting the earlier signs
- Also coming
- New REACT infographics, plus tips from Professor Sarah Freeman of the University of Nottingham
Colic is still among the most frequent emergencies vets are called out to, according to the British Horse Society, which says the past few weeks and the changes seen in grass growth have made the point sharper. The society used the tenth anniversary of its colic campaign, launched with the University of Nottingham in 2016, to repeat the message.
The figures behind the original launch are the reason it exists. University of Nottingham research found that one in every three emergency veterinary visits was for colic, and that nine in ten owners did not feel confident picking up the earlier signs. Those earlier signs are the whole point: the BHS says spotting them and phoning the vet quickly improves the chance of recovery.
The second half of the message is paperwork, and it is the part most yards skip. The BHS asks owners to fill in an Emergency Care Plan and give it to the people they have nominated, so that if the owner cannot be reached, nobody is waiting on a phone call before treatment starts. Details of the plans sit on the BHS website.
The society also said it would release new REACT infographics and share practical advice from Professor Sarah Freeman of the University of Nottingham to mark the ten years.
What this means for you
- Anyone who looks after a horse
- Learn the five groups of signs the acronym covers, rather than waiting for a horse to roll before you worry.
- Owners who share a yard or go away
- Write the Emergency Care Plan and hand it to your nominated people now. Its purpose is to stop delay when you are uncontactable.
- Anyone unsure what they are looking at
- The BHS position is simple — ring the vet for advice if you are in any doubt.
- Owners wanting more detail
- Fresh infographics and advice from Professor Sarah Freeman were promised to mark the anniversary.
What to do
Read the five REACT sign groups: restlessness and agitation; eating less or fewer droppings; signs of abdominal pain; clinical changes such as heart rate, breathing, gut sounds and gum colour; and dullness or lying down more than usual
TodayComplete a BHS Emergency Care Plan and give copies to the people who would act in your absence
This weekCheck the BHS website for campaign information and the care plan details
When you have ten minutesMake sure your vet's emergency number is saved on every phone that might need it, including your nominated people's
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