One of the reasons horses colic — that is, experience abdominal pain — is sand ingestion. And your horse doesn’t have to eat off a beach to be affected.

Horses eat some sand whenever they graze sandy pastures, uproot grass from sandy soil or just eat off the ground. If sand builds up in the intestines, it can cause a blockage requiring urgent medical — or even surgical — care.

But you can take the lead in preventing sand colic. Start by feeding your horse from a bucket or other feeder instead of on the ground. Creating a concrete pad or placing mats under feeders helps with dropped feed. Avoid sandy pastures and rotate grazing areas to keep grass from getting so short that horses pull it up by the roots. And always, provide plenty of hay to keep your horse’s digestive tract moving — to get the sand out and keep it out.