During the past 15 years, the prevailing view on horsemanship has promoted working with horses and decreasing handling stress. Tips on imprinting foals and improving communication between horses and humans have been abundant in publications that target equine enthusiasts.

Interestingly enough, the prevalence of gastric ulcers has been reported from 25-50% in foals and 60-90% in adult horses, depending on age and level of performance. This brings up the question of whether the incidence of gastric ulcers is increasing, or we are now better at diagnosing this ailment.

Equally important, provided these numbers are accurate, how do proactive horse owners effectively treat and prevent gastric ulcers? The reality is that gastric ulcers are a man-made disease, and the majority of horses with gastric ulcers do not show outward symptoms. Oftentimes poor appetite, decreased performance, and a poor hair coat are subtle symptoms that can be attributed to other causes, while more severe cases manifest themselves as colic.

Definitive diagnosis involves placing an endoscope into the stomach and evaluating its surface. Gastric ulcers arise from the erosion of the lining of the stomach due to prolonged exposure to the normal acid in the stomach. Because the design of the horses’ digestive system favors continuous intake, the horse’s stomach is relatively small (8-12 quart capacity) and continually secretes acid. Attempting to confine horses, adapt them to an 8-5 schedule, and turn them into meal feeders might promote a stomach environment that has prolonged periods when the stomach remains empty. Acid accumulates, and not only is there is not any feed present to neutralize the acid, the buffering capabilities of saliva are also not effectively used