How to prevent stomach ulcers in sport horses?

Unfortunately, many horses suffer from stomach ulcers. This problem occurs in recreational horses, but many sport horses also experience it. It is often thought that sport horses are "different" and should be kept and fed differently. But is that really the case? And how can you prevent stomach ulcers in sport horses?

What are stomach ulcers?

A stomach ulcer is an irritation or wound in the stomach caused by damage to the stomach lining. This results in inflammatory reactions to the stomach wall. The stomach of a horse has a capacity of about 10 liters and can be seen as a bag. The lower part continuously produces stomach acid, and the lining in the lower part is more resistant to this acid. The upper part of the stomach has a different lining and is less tolerant to stomach acid. Due to various circumstances, the stomach lining can become damaged, leading to the formation of ulcers which are painful, known as stomach ulcers.

You can recognize stomach ulcers in horses by frequent yawning, colic-like symptoms, and irritated/angry behavior during saddling, tightening the girth, and grooming. Sometimes horses also crib-bite to alleviate the painful feeling, but this actually worsens the stomach ulcers.

Stress as a cause of stomach ulcers in sport horses

Horses are extremely sensitive animals and have a very delicate digestive system. Any change (diet, housing, environment, etc.) creates a form of stress. Stress is a major cause of stomach ulcers in horses. When thinking of stress, it's not just about a tense horse that reacts explosively, but also internal stress that a horse doesn't display. Stress can arise from something very small, such as:

Incorrect management
Improper training
Transport
Lack of connection with neighboring horse in the stall
Rider with tension

It is extremely important to minimize (chronic) stress for horses. Be selective in your stable management, training, and continue to observe your horse as an individual. What works for another horse may not necessarily work for your horse.

Improper nutrition as a cause of stomach ulcers

Another major cause of stomach ulcers is improper nutrition. It is often believed that sport horses are different and therefore need to be fed differently. But sport horses are simply horses with a digestive system that is still very similar to that of a wild horse. The same "little by little" principle applies to sport horses. Many stomach ulcers occur because horses do not receive enough roughage and go for long periods without food. A horse's stomach constantly produces stomach acid, and saliva is needed to neutralize it. A horse produces saliva only while chewing. Therefore, the more a horse eats/chews, the more saliva production and the less the stomach acid affects the upper part of the stomach.

For this reason, horses should never go longer than 4 hours without eating, and even that is too long for many horses! Especially sport horses that work intensively require a well-filled stomach to prevent stomach acid from sloshing around in the stomach. Also, be careful with concentrate feed. Always give this after roughage and not in large quantities, as the stomach is small and cannot process everything at once. It is better to give multiple, small portions throughout the day than one large amount once a day.