Equine gastric ulcer syndrome affects the majority of performance horses and causes chronic pain, with prevention strategies based on understanding of natural equine feeding behavior.
Equine gastric ulcers represent one of the most prevalent welfare problems in performance horse management, and their high prevalence is directly attributable to management practices that diverge from equine physiological needs. Horses evolved as continuous grazers, producing saliva and buffering stomach acid through near-constant forage consumption. Management systems that restrict forage access for hours — common in stabled competition horses — allow acid to accumulate and damage gastric mucosa. Chronic ulcers cause persistent pain that affects behavior, temperament, and performance, yet are routinely undiagnosed. Prevention through management change — continuous forage access, reduced starch feeding, and appropriate exercise timing — is more welfare-effective and less expensive than pharmaceutical treatment after the fact.