Why Horses Roll

Rolling can also be a symptom of colic. You can identify a normal, healthy roll by noticing how the horse rolls, and how it acts when it gets on its feet. When your horse is rolling for the enjoyment of it, it may circle a few times, get down, roll, perhaps get up again and roll on the other side, regain its feet and then have a good shake to get the dust off. And healthy horses rarely try to roll in their stall.

When a horse is rolling because of colic, it will drop down, often suddenly, roll violently, and then stand listlessly afterward, with no invigorating shake to rid itself of dust. It may try to roll in its stall, and it may try to roll multiple times. A horse that has been rolling in its stall may appear disheveled, sweaty and covered in manure and shavings.

There's some debate whether rolling can cause twists in the gut that cause torsion colic. Some people feel that a twist has occurred before the horse starts to show colic symptoms, such as rolling. But, whether or not rolling causes twists, a horse with colic torsion should be prevented from rolling because it expends a lot of energy, and as it violently thrashes, it could hurt itself or the people handling it.