Preventing Gastric Ulcers
Horses housed permanently on pasture with light exercise are six times less likely to get ulcers than stalled, moderately exercising horses, and horses with constant access to forage are four times less likely to get ulcers. | Photo: iStock
Q. What is the best way to prevent gastric ulcers in horses? I know there are various treatments available for horses that have been diagnosed with ulcers, but can horse owners in general prevent ulcers, and what is the best method in that regard? My understanding is that I should offer my horse:

  1. Free access to grazing if possible;
  2. Free access to hay with little to no fasting, if stabled for long periods;
  3. Alfalfa/alfalfa chaff fed with hard feeds; and
  4. Minimal disruption to his routine.

Perhaps you can confirm or elaborate on these?

—Emer Cooney, via e-mail

A. Gastric ulcers can affect upwards of two-thirds of all performance horses and can cause weight loss, colic, and poor performance. Ulcerogenic factors identified include low-forage diets, intense/increased exercise, high-concentrate diets, regular/prolonged transport, feeding at intervals, management/housing changes, water deprivation, weaning, moving to a new home, and prolonged stabling. Prevention is therefore key to keeping your horse healthy and at the top of his game. The most effective prevention strategy involves a comprehensive combination of feeding, management, and pharmacologic approaches

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