Gastric Ulcers - A More Common Problem?

What kind of horses come to mind when we mention gastric ulcers? We often find these words conjuring up images of highly-strung racehorses or top performance horses, but studies have shown that ulcers can occur in any breed of horse or pony at any workload. It has become more and more common for horses to be diagnosed with ulcers, potentially due to it being a widely discussed topic in the horse world, alongside advancement in diagnostic techniques.

Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome, or EGUS, is the term used to describe ulcers in the oesophagus, stomach, and duodenum. There are two main types of gastric ulcers:

1. Glandular - occur in the lower portion of the stomach, which is covered in glands that secrete a mucus-like substance (mucosa) that helps protect the stomach lining from the stomach acid. When this mucosa fails, the acid can irritate the lining of the stomach and cause glandular ulcers

2. Squamous – occur in the upper portion of the stomach where there are no glands, so no mucosa to protect the stomach lining. When the acid splashes in the stomach, such as during fast-work or intense exercise, this can cause ulcers on the non-glandular part of the stomach.

Causes

One of the major causes of gastric ulcers is how horses are managed. Now the clocks have gone back, and the temperature is dropping, lots of us will be bringing our horses in to the stable at night and changing our feeding routines.

Horses constantly produce stomach acid, but only produce saliva, which has a buffering effect, when chewing making horses more prone to gastric ulcers than many other animals. The likelihood of ulcers occurring is increased if they go for long periods of time without eating, as levels of stomach acid will quickly increase.

Other causes of gastric ulcers can include stress, intense exercise, or diet. Some simple changes to our horses’ routines can help reduce the risk of ulcers occurring.

Top Tips for Managing Horses Prone to Ulcers Through the Winter

Forage and Fibre
As the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, horses often spend more time stabled and off the grass, so it is important they have access to plenty of good quality forage. Horses produce twice the amount of saliva eating forage than eating concentrates, which works as a natural buffer to neutralise stomach acid.

For those of you with underweight EGUS horses we recommend ad-lib access to forage.

• Ideally horses and ponies should receive daily turnout, even if only for a few hours in the winter to save the fields.
• If your grass is poor providing extra hay or haylage in the field is advised to keep fibre intake up.
• When stabled providing large, small-holed nets of good quality hay or haylage will ensure that your horse is busy chewing through most of the night. If possible, providing an additional net later in the evening to see them through is ideal.

Did you know that not all horses who have ulcers lose weight? For horses or ponies that naturally hold their weight well, 24/7 turnout or access to ad-lib forage could lead to excess weight gain. So, what can we do to help support their digestive system while maintaining a healthy weight?

• We do not want to decrease the time that these horses or ponies spend eating but need to restrict the number of calories they receive.
• Studies have shown soaking hay for 12 to 16 hours before feeding removes some of the sugar content and therefore reduces the calorie level of the hay.
• Using small-holed hay nets or double netting will slow even the greediest ponies down, stretching out the time they spend chewing and producing that important saliva!
• Hanging hay nets from the ceiling of a stable ensures they work a little harder to get the hay, burning calories as well as making their hay last longer!

Minimise stress where possible
Stress can often increase around routine changes, such as coming in for the winter or the movement from mainly fresh grass-based diet to more hay or haylage. Some horses may prefer to be out in the field for as long as possible, others may be stood at the gate or pacing the fence line waiting to come in – especially in the cold winter rain! It is all about finding a routine that works best for both you and your horse.

Contact our friendly and knowledgeable Nutrition Team
for advice on feeding your horse or pony according to their nutritional needs.