I’d love to hear what is working great for your horse with a busy career?
Horses are meant to be horses.
Turn out as much as you can. Feed on the ground. Plenty of hay.
If no access to feed. Feed half a biscuit of lucerne hay before riding or floating.
Roundbale 24/7, low starch/low NSC feed, as much alfalfa as possible, and full turnout 24/7…
My competition horse had ulcers off the track… Been with me for 5 years, no ulcers since changing his management (proven with scope).
They get ulcers from isolation, stress, and lack of constant forage. IME, the stress exacerbates the other two issues - so if you have a horse that is stalled in the way of industry standard (so, not actually “24/7 forage” and, stalled for 10+ hours at night), you’re usually looking at an ulcer candidate… In my experience it is virtually impossible to get a stalled horse ulcer free once they develop ulcers, unless you start keeping them outside on a 24/7-access-to-forage management… YMMV
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My horses basically live out (stalls with runs, leading to big paddocks). I feed minimum 2% body weight in alfalfa, and generally 6lbs or less of pelleted grain (no corn, no molasses). Plus soaked beet pulp.
During times of stress, I use Nexium-- the day before, and the days of a horse show, and perhaps a day or two after.
I have used DAC CoolGut with success on other horses as a maintenace/preventative, when I stalled them for half days and if they showed hindgut symptoms as well.
I have a few things that I’ve found make a huge difference for situations like showing. Some I do for all of the horses; adding in alfalfa for those who can tolerate it, adding Lysine and Zinc, feeding something like Outlast and/or Ulcer Eraser, and they’re all on Platinum Performance or general THE Equine Edge Supplements. I used to put my ulcer-y horses on GastroGard also, but I’ve found that if I either add Stomach Happy: https://tcvmpet.com/collections/herbs/products/stomach-happy-600g-powder?variant=14649354649649
Or use THE Equine Edge GastroPLUS: https://www.totalhealthenhance.com/products/GastroPLUS®-p59387380
I can forego the omeprazole completely, and even my two super-ulcer-horses stay happy.
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Turnout as much as possible. Good forage/ alfalfa. My horses get all this. I also feed Purina Ultium Gastric Care, which has an additive for ulcerery horses.
But, when going traveling and competing, they also get ulcergard daily. Before, during, after and traveling and competitions.
I have the basics of constant forage and lots of turnout, but trailering, clinics and shows are inherently stressful. I really appreciate hearing what works for you and getting some new ideas to try. Thank you!
