overweight chestnut horse grazing in field
Adobe stock photo

Managing overweight horses with gastric ulcers requires balancing weight loss goals with strategies that protect the stomach. Veterinarians often recommend feeding low-calorie forage throughout the day, limiting high-starch feeds, and implementing a carefully planned exercise program to encourage weight loss while minimizing ulcer risk and supporting digestive health. In this Ask TheHorse Live excerpt Laramie Winfield, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, cVA, cVMMP, of Steinbeck Peninsula Equine Clinic, in Salinas, California, describes the best ways to manage overweight horses with gastric ulcers.

This podcast is an excerpt from our Ask TheHorse Live Q&A, “What You Need to Know About Equine Gastric Ulcers.” Listen to the full recording here.

About the Expert:

Picture of Laramie Winfield, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, cVA, cVMMP

Laramie Winfield, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, cVA, cVMMP

Laramie Winfield, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, cVA, cVMMP, grew up in the Salinas Valley, riding horses with her mom and sisters. Winfield’s professional interests are equine internal medicine, emergency and critical care, neonatology, acupuncture, sports medicine, and ophthalmology. Winfield is certified in veterinary acupuncture and is also a veterinary medical manipulation practitioner, having completed her training at the Integrative Veterinary Medical Institute in Reddick, Florida. In integrating her riding background with her training in internal medicine, acupuncture, and spinal manipulation Winfield strives to offer a comprehensive view of horse health and performance. Winfield is an equity partner at Steinbeck Peninsula Equine Clinics, in Salinas, California. She enjoys spending time with her husband, Nick Carlson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, and their children. She loves horseback riding and three-day eventing with her horse Franky.