Equine gastric ulcer syndrome is extremely common in performance and stabled horses. Its widespread prevalence and painful nature make it a major equine welfare concern.
Equine gastric ulcer syndrome causes significant, often chronic pain in a majority of stabled performance horses. The discomfort of ulcers affects appetite, behavior, and willingness to perform - horses exhibiting sourness, resistance, or behavioral changes under saddle may be communicating pain rather than behavioral problems. The welfare significance is compounded by the industry normalization of ulcers as 'just part of being a performance horse.' The root cause is management that fundamentally conflicts with equine digestive physiology: long periods without forage combined with high-intensity exercise. Addressing this requires prioritizing management changes over pharmaceutical treatment alone.