Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome affects up to 80% of racehorses and 37% of leisure horses. Managing this painful condition requires understanding the relationship between management practices and ulcer development.
Gastric ulcers in horses cause chronic pain that is often missed because horses mask discomfort effectively. The management practices that drive ulcer development are common in competitive horse keeping: infrequent feeding, large concentrate meals, restricted forage, training on empty stomachs, and high-stress competitive environments. Horses evolved as near-continuous grazers; their stomachs produce acid continuously and rely on forage to buffer it. Management changes that address ulcers include: ad libitum hay access, reducing concentrate meal size, feeding hay before exercise, minimizing fasting periods, and reducing competition-related stress. Welfare-conscious horse management that prevents ulcers requires challenging practices deeply embedded in traditional horse keeping culture.