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Ulcers: Signs and Solutions
Ulcers in horses, particularly in high stress horse sports, are a common issue. We are seeing ulcers now in foals who are starting life already compromised.
These early ulcers typically come from the mother's malnourishment, toxic condition of the organs, stress from a weak immune system and agricultural products in the hay, grass and grain the mother ingests.
As humans cut corners to feed and feed producers use pesticides, herbicides, and toxic chemicals to increase yield and ward off insects and disease, ulcers in our young horses are the result.
As they become weanlings and yearlings they are heavily vaccinated and wormed further causing the digestive and gastric system to be over-taxed and damaged. All of this happens even before they go into work!
Once we begin their training process we can literally make or break their future. If managed we can help them overcome a rough beginning and focus our attention on their growth, gut health, clean food, air/space/light, and make sure they get plenty of attention from us as well as time to mature.
The good news is this is all doable but it is up to you to set up your approach knowing ulcers are always lurking in the background. Here are a few signs to watch for but every horse acts out in their own way.
Familiarize yourself with signs of ulcers in your own horses:
- Anger/irritability/ears flat back
- Grinding teeth/ baring teeth
- Depression
- Sensitive on the sides of the barrel/abdomen
- Typically more pain on the right side
- Backing off feed/not finishing feed
- Sulking
- Kicking at you
- Condition deteriorates
- Tucked up abdomen
In other words, don't expect a horse with ulcers to want to work, be happy about work or even be happy to do the simplest things.
Solutions:
1) Acute or onset ulcers (for example after a hard workout, show, race, event you notice symptoms) are ulcers that may have been small but now irritated, swollen, bleeding and painful. Call your vet and get medication started immediately. Give your horse a laxative, succulent diet with plenty of water mixed in. You will want to give meals that are easy to digest and move smoothly through the fore and hind gut. Takes a minimum of 14 days to heal on medication followed by decreasing doses of maintenance medications. You may continue exercise through this process but for at least the first week take it easy and walk.
2) Chronic ulcers are those that are always present but symptoms come and go with irritation and inflammation. Most horses have some form of chronic ulcers. For these horses I would recommend herbs, probiotics and Epsom salts as well as a wet feed with no sugar and as clean/certified organic as possible.
I have a plan for each horse as I get to know them. One horse who demonstrates some irritability but is generally pleasant and willing I may give 1 tablespoon of Epsom salts twice per day for 10 days, then stop and see how he or she does.
Another horse may be more severe and I will give medications then follow up with ulcer calming herbs and a week of Epsom salts slowly decreasing the amount given. And provide a probiotic when stressed or traveling.
Many horses, like people, ulcerate with mental and emotional stress. Physical stress to a point is healthy and normal to equine athletes but the mental stress associated with health neglect (they all need regular dental, fecal tests and hoof trimming), poor handling and management , abusive training, cheap food loaded with sugar and toxins, unhealthy smelly, dark, tight environments and overall neglect is what typically triggers and perpetuates ulcers.
Ulcers can also be a secondary or subsequent problem from sickness, disease and injury. (I will just say poor fitting saddles and bad riding can also contribute!)
Create your program around your horse's gut and mental health and you will have a very happy stable full of willing athletes.
Thank you for your consideration. They deserve internal well-being.
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