A horse that suddenly feels girthy, grumpy to groom or less willing to work is not necessarily being difficult. Stomach discomfort can change behaviour, appetite and performance in subtle ways, particularly in horses balancing stabling, travel, training and restricted grazing. This equine gastric ulcer guide sets out what ulcers are, which signs deserve attention and how day-to-day management can support veterinary treatment.
What are equine gastric ulcers?
Equine gastric ulcer syndrome, often shortened to EGUS, describes damage to the lining of a horse’s stomach. The equine stomach is relatively small and produces acid continuously, whether the horse is eating or not. That makes long periods without forage, hard work on an empty stomach and sudden routine changes more significant than many owners realise.
There are two main forms. Equine squamous gastric disease, or ESGD, affects the upper, non-glandular area of the stomach. This is the form commonly associated with acid splash during exercise and long gaps between forage. Equine glandular gastric disease, or EGGD, affects the lower glandular region, where the stomach’s protective mechanisms are thought to be compromised. A horse can have one form or both, and the management approach may differ.
Ulcers are not reserved for racehorses or elite competition horses. They can affect leisure horses, ponies, youngsters and horses on box rest. Risk is shaped by the whole picture: forage access, workload, turnout, feeding routine, stress, transport, pain and individual susceptibility.
Signs worth taking seriously
Gastric ulcers do not have one reliable outward sign. Some horses show clear discomfort, while others continue to eat and work but become less settled or less consistent. Behavioural changes should be investigated rather than dismissed as a training problem, especially when they are new or worsening.
Common signs can include:
- reduced appetite, slow eating or leaving hard feed
- sensitivity around the girth, belly or flanks
- a change in attitude when ridden, such as bucking, napping or resisting transitions
- poor performance, reduced willingness to go forward or difficulty maintaining condition
- recurrent mild colic signs, teeth grinding, crib-biting or a dull coat
When to call the vet
Contact your vet promptly if your horse has colic signs, goes off feed, loses weight, shows marked discomfort or has a sudden behaviour change. A vet can assess the wider clinical picture and advise whether gastroscopy is appropriate. Gastroscopy is the accepted way to see and grade gastric ulcers, rather than relying on symptoms alone.
A proper diagnosis also matters because treatment for squamous and glandular disease may not be identical. Follow the prescribed course exactly and discuss a recheck scope where your vet recommends one. Stopping medication early because a horse seems brighter can leave healing incomplete.
Feeding management: keeping fibre in the working day
Forage is the practical foundation of ulcer-conscious management. Chewing forage produces saliva, which helps buffer stomach acid, while a fibre mat in the stomach can reduce acid splash. For many horses, the aim is to avoid long forage-free periods rather than simply adding more bucket feed.
That does not mean unlimited grass will suit every horse. Good doers, laminitis-prone horses and those with metabolic concerns need an appropriately controlled ration. In those cases, owners may use weighed, lower-calorie forage, soaked hay where suitable, small-holed nets or several feeding stations to extend eating time. Ask your vet or qualified nutritionist for individual advice before making major changes.
Where possible, offer forage before work and avoid exercising a horse after a prolonged fast. A small fibre feed or portion of suitable chopped fibre before riding may be useful for some horses, but it is not a substitute for veterinary treatment. Keep feed changes gradual, choose a ration that matches workload and condition, and avoid using high-starch meals as a quick answer to low energy without reviewing the full diet.
Some horses need extra calories while still benefiting from a stomach-friendly routine. Fibre and oil-based calories may be more appropriate than large cereal feeds for certain individuals, but the right choice depends on condition, work level, dental status and any underlying health concern.
Turnout, routine and exercise all matter
Horses are designed to eat little and often while moving about. Modern yard routines cannot always replicate that perfectly, particularly in winter, but small practical adjustments can make a genuine difference.
Turnout is often helpful because it supports movement and grazing behaviour, provided the field situation is safe and suitable for the horse. If turnout is limited, look at ways to reduce fasting in the stable and make the routine more predictable. A horse that finishes its hay by midnight and stands until breakfast without forage has a long time for stomach acid to act on an empty stomach.
Exercise can be part of the risk picture rather than something to avoid altogether. Regular, sensible work is generally beneficial, but intense schooling, travelling and competing can add pressure, especially if forage intake drops around the event. Plan ahead: offer forage before loading where appropriate, take familiar forage to shows, allow time to eat and drink, and avoid making competition days a sequence of long empty-stomach periods.
Pain and stress also deserve attention. Ill-fitting tack, unmanaged lameness, social tension in the field or stable, frequent yard moves and a demanding training schedule may all contribute to a horse that struggles to settle. There is no single anti-ulcer routine because the practical trade-offs differ between a retired pony, a busy riding school horse and an eventer on the road every weekend.
Treatment, supplements and sensible expectations
Veterinary medicines are the main treatment for confirmed gastric ulcers. Your vet will select treatment according to the location and severity of the disease, then advise on management changes that reduce the chance of recurrence. Medication treats the lesions; daily routine helps address the conditions in which they developed.
Supplements marketed for digestive comfort may have a place in an overall management plan, but they should not be presented as a replacement for diagnosis or prescribed medication. Ingredients, evidence, dose and suitability vary considerably. Be particularly cautious if a product promises to cure ulcers without veterinary involvement.
When choosing feeds, chaffs or digestive products, read the feeding guidance and check the full ration rather than focusing on one claim on the bag. For horses in work, include treats, balancers and competition-day feeds in the calculation too. A simple written record of forage, feed, turnout, exercise and symptoms can be useful for spotting patterns and for giving your vet a clear account of what has changed.
Equine gastric ulcer guide: a practical yard checklist
The most useful changes are usually the ones a busy owner can sustain. Review whether your horse has regular access to suitable forage, whether it is worked after a long gap without feed, and whether its turnout and stable routine are predictable. Then look at stress points such as travel, clipping, yard changes, group turnout, competition schedules or a recent increase in workload.
Check the basics at the same time. Teeth, saddle fit, hoof balance, worm-control planning and lameness can all affect appetite, behaviour and comfort. A horse treated for ulcers but still uncomfortable in its saddle, for example, may continue to show the same ridden resistance for an entirely different reason.
For owners buying stable essentials, practicality counts. A reliable supply of appropriate forage, well-fitting feed buckets, hay nets selected with safety in mind and a consistent feeding routine will usually do more than a cupboard full of unproven quick fixes. Dufinkle Saddlery’s everyday approach applies here too: choose products for the job they need to do, and build management around the individual horse rather than a fashionable formula.
If you suspect ulcers, keep notes, involve your vet early and make manageable improvements while you wait for advice. Horses often communicate discomfort in quiet, inconvenient ways; taking those changes seriously is one of the most useful things an owner can do.