Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) is extremely common in horses, particularly those in training or competition. Understanding the causes helps owners implement effective prevention strategies.
The high prevalence of gastric ulcers in domestic horses reflects a fundamental mismatch between evolved biology and modern management practices. Horses kept in stalls, fed twice daily, and trained intensively experience chronic gastric acid exposure without adequate forage buffering. The pain associated with ulceration has significant welfare implications and often explains behavioral "problems" that owners attribute to training issues. Prevention through management change — primarily maximizing forage access — is both effective and often cheaper than repeated treatment.