Horse Gastric Ulcer Syndrome and Welfare

Equine gastric ulcer syndrome is extremely prevalent in sport and race horses and causes significant chronic pain affecting performance and behavior.

Key Facts

EGUS affects up to 90% of racehorses and 60% of sport horses in intensive training
Horses have continuous gastric acid secretion, and the absence of hay to buffer acid rapidly causes squamous mucosa ulceration
Behavioral signs of gastric ulcers include poor performance, reluctance to work, girthiness, and stereotypic behaviors
Endoscopy is required for definitive diagnosis since clinical signs are non-specific and unreliable
Omeprazole (GastroGard) is highly effective treatment, with 70-80% ulcer resolution within 4 weeks
Feeding management including ad libitum hay, alfalfa buffering, and reduced concentrate feeding prevents recurrence
Stressful management practices including stall confinement, transport, competition, and irregular feeding schedules promote ulceration

Welfare Considerations

Gastric ulcers cause chronic pain that affects horse behavior, performance, and quality of life. The pain of gastric ulceration causes horses to become reluctant to work, particularly when girth tightening increases intra-abdominal pressure that aggravates gastric pain. Behavioral signs attributed to training problems or poor attitude are frequently caused by undiagnosed gastric ulcers, meaning horses are sometimes punished for pain responses rather than treated for the underlying condition. The connection between intensive management practices and ulcer development is well-established, meaning much of the welfare burden of EGUS is iatrogenic and preventable through feeding management changes. Increasing turnout time, maximizing hay provision, reducing concentrate feeding, and minimizing transport and competition frequency all reduce ulcer risk. The economic and performance impacts of EGUS in racing and sport horses create incentives for management improvement that align with welfare interests.

What You Can Do

Investigate gastric ulcers as a potential cause of any behavioral change, poor performance, or girthiness in horses in training
Maximize hay provision and pasture access since continuous forage intake is the most protective factor against ulcer development
Discuss endoscopy with your equine vet for definitive diagnosis before committing to treatment since effective treatment requires confirmed diagnosis
Modify intensive management practices including reducing stall confinement time, transport frequency, and concentrate proportion of the ration