Equine gastric ulcer syndrome affects the majority of performance horses and causes chronic pain that is frequently undetected and undertreated.
Gastric ulcers represent chronic, ongoing pain in horses that are unable to communicate their discomfort directly. Behavioural signs are frequently attributed to "attitude problems" or training resistance, meaning many horses suffer for months or years without diagnosis. The prevalence in racing and competition horses reflects management systems optimised for performance rather than welfare. Simple management changes — ad libitum forage, longer turnout, smaller more frequent grain meals, and reducing training intensity — prevent most ulcers and dramatically improve wellbeing for horses already affected.