Horse Gastric Ulcer Prevention and Welfare

Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome is extremely prevalent in sport and working horses, with management factors including feeding frequency and forage access having major prevention potential.

Key Facts

Studies show EGUS prevalence of 50-90% in racehorses and 30-50% in leisure horses
Horses produce gastric acid continuously regardless of feed intake, unlike humans
Prolonged periods without forage allow acid to accumulate and damage the gastric squamous mucosa
High-concentrate, low-forage diets significantly increase ulcer risk
Omeprazole treatment is effective but expensive and requires ongoing management changes to prevent recurrence

Welfare Considerations

EGUS causes chronic pain that affects horses' willingness to work, social behavior, and overall quality of life - often attributed to attitude problems rather than recognized as a welfare issue. The prevention strategy is management-based: maximizing forage access and minimizing periods without feed. Horses managed with ad-lib hay access and limited meal size develop far fewer ulcers than those managed with restricted forage and high concentrate intake. Management change is more sustainable than pharmacological control alone.

What You Can Do

Provide horses with ad-lib access to hay or haylage to minimize gastric acid pooling periods
Reduce meal size and increase feeding frequency for horses on concentrate rations
Discuss omeprazole treatment with your veterinarian for horses showing EGUS signs
Advocate for gastric ulcer prevention education in equestrian training programs