Has anyone used this as a maintenance program for their ulcer prone horses? I treated my mare for ulcers about a year ago, and changed her diet to help prevent the ulcers from recurring. She had been doing well, but recently started grinding her teeth undersaddle. She doesn’t have any other symptoms, but I was thinking of treating for ulcers again, and possibly adding a daily supplement to try to prevent flare ups. Has anyone had any success with smart gut ultra?
I used it for a year after GastroGard treatment. My vet particularly recommended it. Fairly mild ulcer case. No recurrence of symptoms in that time. I tried taking him off of it earlier this month and saw some behaviors that looked like anxiety, so putting him back on. It’s expensive, but it does seem to work (unless the behaviors continue after putting him back on it. Then I’ll know that the incessant grooming and licking and chewing and spookiness is just him saying “Screw winter, I’m done.”)
I have been, but just started 3 weeks ago, so can’t give any feedback yet (especially since it’s been snowing for two of those weeks so I think the horse has been ridden 3x since starting on it). He eats it fine, but he’s a pig so that doesn’t really mean much either 
I used it for 6-8 months after treating for ulcers, he did fine for a while, then had another flare, so it certainly did not prevent the flare not sure if there were other benefits I was unaware of but took him off it as I felt like I was wasting my money. Now I’m trying gutwerks from horsetech to see how that goes. (honestly I mostly think its hopeless, he is going to flare or not and there is little I can do about it beyond providing him the best diet and lifestyle possible to try and keep them at bay…)
Could be that she’s saying screw winter! The riding has been so inconsistent, and almost all trail riding. I tried to do an arena day in the snow, and she was grinding her teeth like crazy (she grinds on occasion when she’s impatient etc. but never like she did the other day). It’s possible that she just didn’t like the footing, but once you deal with ulcers I think you’re always hypersensitive about them coming back. I might give the regular Smartgut a try and see what happens, can’t hurt.
I have used it, and the regular Smart Gut Pellets…they are both excellent products and I highly recommend them for maintenance …I also like Smart Digest Ultra too …you can even combine the two
I used it for about 6 months on my ulcery mare after treatment and did not notice any significant changes. She has been on Ugard Pellets for about 3 weeks along with one pack of pop rocks daily for maintenance after a recent flare up and treatment. I am really happy with the results, especially for the price.
I just started giving smartdigest ultra 4 days ago. My guy has been having intermittent chronic diarrhea for years. I have tried numerous things. If this doesn’t clear up his discomfort then I will have the vet out, again, for blood work and/or a culture of his manure. The reason I’m giving this stuff a go is because I randomly tubed him with the paste version of this product (I bought for my last horse)a month ago. His gas and loose stools seemed to clear up immediately.
I’ll report back if it seems to help. So far, today is the first day he was not as gassy as usual.
I’ll update on my guy… Short story- we ended up at Davis for gas colic 8 days after starting this product. The best guess by the vets as to why he has been having these issues (gas/diahrea) for so long is that he has some kind of food allergy. So we took away grain and left him on just the hay and smartdigest ultra. After being on it for a little over 2 weeks he is noticeably less gassy and I watched him pass manure-the best manure in YEARS! It was solid enough for me to actually kick one of the balls with my boot (had to inspect up close to be thorough!) so that was a couple of days ago. I’m still watching to make sure it wasn’t a fluke, but it’s possible I may keep him on this supplement for awhile. Hoe that helps someone
I had my horse on Succeed for a year after a couple of colics (I’ve posted about this a lot here, but short story is that we think long term use of omeprazole led to hind gut ulcers and a couple of gas colics), but wanted to move him off of that. Put him on the Smart Digest Ultra to replace both the Succeed and the pre/probiotic I had him on (for a huge reduction in cost) and he’s been in great shape for the 9 months he’s been on it. I don’t see switching him out to anything else any time soon.
With that being said, I add in Gastroguard and a Chinese herb called “Stomach Happy” when we head out to shows…just don’t keep him on those supplements outside of the time spent on the show grounds.
ETA - Oops - reread the OP and realized you were asking about SmartGUT Ultra, not SmartDIGEST Ultra.
For the life of me, I don’t understand how a pre/probiotic product could in anyway help prevent/treat/cure gastric ulcers? Someone care to 'splain how that works? Might be useful for diarrhea and some digestive problems, but ulcers? No way!
I use smart digest ultra and will never take him off of it. Started about 3 years ago when he developed a lot of gut noise/bloat and seemed a little sensitive there. Within 30 days he was fine…and a sarcoid on his right foreleg disappeared. That he had had his whole life. Vet said it must have some immune boosting agent to do that. He also foundered very bad 2 years ago and was in his stall for almost 8 months averaging 10cc of banamine/day that entire time. I don’t know if it was the Smart Digest stuff but he had no problems with the banamine. Don’t know if any of this helps with ulcers, but it is a great product.
[QUOTE=rcloisonne;7459217]
For the life of me, I don’t understand how a pre/probiotic product could in anyway help prevent/treat/cure gastric ulcers? Someone care to 'splain how that works? Might be useful for diarrhea and some digestive problems, but ulcers? No way![/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=rcloisonne;7459217]
For the life of me, I don’t understand how a pre/probiotic product could in anyway help prevent/treat/cure gastric ulcers? Someone care to 'splain how that works? Might be useful for diarrhea and some digestive problems, but ulcers? No way![/QUOTE]
SmartGut Ultra, which is what this thread is supposed to be about, isn’t a pre/probiotic product. SmartDigest Ultra, which a couple of posters are talking about is a pre/probiotic product, but it’s not supposed to be helping with ulcers (and the poster in this thread who talked about doesn’t appear to be using it for ulcers).
I used SmartGut Ultra on my previous horse, who was very ulcer prone. I was really happy with it.
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Whoops…I seem to have gotten the thread off track, my apologies! I have not used smartgut ultra and my horse does not have ulcers… Carry on 
Just saw this thread pop up again and as my horse is now on the 2nd month of it have an update. I’m actually really impressed with it - I think he had hindgut ulcers after being treated for fairly severe ulcers. In 5 weeks, he has lost the slightly tucked up appearance that he had, his girthiness has disappeared, and he seems generally happier. Could be totally coincidental, but I am convinced enough to think it’s a deal to keep him on it.
Mine are on Smartpak combo Ultra Pellets. My gas-colic prone TB has not had any episodes since I started (8 months ago) (I put him on it immediately after he had a colic so severe my vet wanted him to go to hospital for surgery). This, despite all the triggers - wild weather fluctuations, high barometric pressure, etc. Started my rising 2 yo on it also - both are shedding out to beautiful, dappled spring coats. Really happy with the results.
I too have struggled for two years to find the miracle ulcer maintenance supplement. My mare is super picky and will not touch a powder despite trying all the usual tricks.
I used SmartGut Ultra a year ago and didn’t notice substantial improvement but maybe should have used it for an additional thirty days. Currently I am using U-gard pellets and her appetite has improved but it does not appear to offer any hindgut protection which I would like to have since we have to do Omeprazole treatment at times.
The G.U.T sounds promising but I was not aware of a pelleted version and can’t tell if it offers hindgut protection. Maybe I should try the SmartGut ultra pellets again…OP, You are not alone on the winding road to ulcer maintenance:no:
The G.U.T sounds promising but I was not aware of a pelleted version and can’t tell if it offers hindgut protection. Maybe I should try the SmartGut ultra pellets again…OP, You are not alone on the winding road to ulcer maintenance:no:[/QUOTE]
I just ordered the G.U.T. supplement today. I just didn’t want to spring for a >$60 per month supplement. The G.U.T. is about $20.00 a month, and has similar ingredients to the SmartGut supplement (although in lower doses). For the price I thought it was worth a try, if it doesn’t help I guess I’ll have to bite the bullet and buy the expensive stuff!
After treating my horse’s ulcers about 2 years ago, I tried maintaining him on UGard and he became sympomatic again pretty soon (in a matter of 3-6 weeks IIRC). Then did a course of ranititine, got the ulcer symptoms under control again, started him on SmartGut Ultra and again, became symptomatic again. He’s since stayed on a dose of ranitiidine (so about 1.5-2 years). I have recently added GUT and have lowered his ranitidine dose and am hoping to get him off the ranitidine completely at some point, so we will see. I go back and forth on taking him off ranitidine.
