Colic is the term used to describe clinical signs of abdominal pain or discomfort in the horse. Colic accounts for one in three emergency vet call outs to horses. Recognising the earlier signs of colic means veterinary treatment can start sooner. Most cases can be resolved relatively quickly with appropriate treatment, but some will be critical with potentially severe consequences. Conditions that affect the blood supply to the intestine become a race against time, and the earlier the problem is recognised and treated, the better the chance of survival.