Gastric ulcers affect the majority of performance horses and many companion horses, causing chronic pain that is frequently unrecognized.
Gastric ulcers in horses represent a chronic pain condition of epidemic proportions that is remarkably underdiagnosed. The horse's stomach continuously produces acid, and without the constant buffering of saliva that comes with continuous grazing, ulceration develops rapidly. Performance horses face multiple additional risk factors including stress, high-grain diets, limited forage access, and intense training schedules. The behavioral signs of ulcer pain - reluctance to work, poor performance, sensitivity over the back, and grumpiness - are frequently attributed to behavioral problems rather than physical pain, leading to inappropriate training interventions that worsen horse welfare. Recognition of EGUS as a major welfare issue has improved in recent years, but the fundamental management changes needed to prevent the condition require significant industry shift.