Results
Descriptive statistics
A total of 550 questionnaires were sent out to respondents,
and these were based in a wide geographical area
within the UK. In total 370 completed surveys were
returned (response rate of 67%). Data from 367 horses
were analysed; 3 horses were excluded from the present
study as the horse/pony described had died several
months/years previously and therefore the quality of the
data was not considered to be sufficiently robust.
One or more episodes of colic had been observed in 130
horses (35.4% of horses in the study). A total of 672 colic
episodes were reported by the owners/carers of these
horses (range 1-50 colic episodes; mean 5.25). Thirteen
colic episodes were reported to have required surgical
intervention in 12 horses (1.9% of all colic episodes); it was
not possible to determine reliably from the owner/carer the specific cause of colic in these cases. Where the horse/
pony had been in that persons care over the previous
12 months (n=331), colic had been observed in 67 horses
(20.2%) during that time. A total of 126 colic episodes were
reported in the preceding 12 months (range 1-8, mean
1.88) of which veterinary attendance was required in
69 (54.8%) episodes. This equates to 38 episodes of colic
per 100 horse years at risk (HYAR) for all colic episodes or
20 veterinary attended episodes of colic per 100 HYAR.