Ulcers and feeding program - Update

[Alter_Tag]

I recently moved to a new barn where they feed grain in the morning, but no hay. All the horses are then turned out, at around 8 AM, in pastures that don’t have much grass yet, and brought in at 3 PM. They get just four flakes of middling quality hay thrown before PM grain, and that’s it until morning when they get grain, but no hay.

Within three weeks, we had ulcers. I believe I’ve been taught that it’s best if horses have hay in their stomachs before they get grain, but I could be misremembering.

My question is, could this feeding program have contributed to the ulcers? Do I need to move (again ) for my horse’s health?

Update: We will be moving June 1. New barn feeds Cavalor feeds and as much good-quality hay (it looks good and passed my sniff test) as he wants. It’s a little farther than I wanted to travel, but it’s doable. I feel confident that my horse will be able to recover from the ulcers and not have any recurrences, at least not due to the feeding program.

Thanks again for everyone’s support in this. My horse thanks you, too.

[sascha]

@Alter_Tag

My question is, could this feeding program have contributed to the ulcers? Do I need to move (again ) for my horse’s health?

Yes to contributing, and possibly to moving if the barn isn’t willing to meet your horse’s needs

[Simkie]

This sort of feeding program is absolutely contributing to ulcers, especially after a stressful event, like a move.

Was this made clear prior to bringing your horse here? If not, it seems you likely have a clear avenue to break contract and gtfo of there.

[Amy3996]

Stress from moving coupled with inadequate forage can absolutely cause or contribute to ulcers. Having been in your shoes, I’d be looking for a different barn ASAP if at all possible. Feeding programs like this rarely change on their own, and it sounds like it’s already presenting a problem.

You could go through all the hoops of trying to bring in your own hay or see if management will supplement with hay cubes if you provide them, but a different facility that better meets your needs might be the path of least resistance.

[Scribbler]

@Alter_Tag

I recently moved to a new barn where they feed grain in the morning, but no hay. All the horses are then turned out, at around 8 AM, in pastures that don’t have much grass yet, and brought in at 3 PM. They get just four flakes of middling quality hay thrown before PM grain, and that’s it until morning when they get grain, but no hay.

Within three weeks, we had ulcers. I believe I’ve been taught that it’s best if horses have hay in their stomachs before they get grain, but I could be misremembering.

My question is, could this feeding program have contributed to the ulcers? Do I need to move (again ) for my horse’s health?

I’d call this a recipe for ulcers and a really bad management strategy unless the pastures are super lush, which they will never be. What is the weight like for the horses?

How much grain are they getting and what kind? If they are getting 5 pounds of a beet pulp or alfalfa type feed that’s different than if they are getting a pound of oats on an empty stomach.

[candyappy]

I have always fed what grain my horses may get in the morning but then they would either have hay immediately or go out on grass that was actually graze worthy.

I personally don’t believe it matters when grain is fed. I suspect it is your horses lack of adequate forage in a 24 hour period that is the issue and probably why she would now have ulcers.

Has she been dropping weight?

[RhythmNCruise]

Yeah, that’s definitely a recipe for ulcers. Using basically the same schedule and the same amount of hay, I’d prefer:
1 pad of hay AM then feed grain just before turn-out at 8AM.
1 pad of hay when brought in at 3PM.
Feed PM grain. (5-6PM)
1 pad of hay after PM grain.
1 pad of hay at night check. (9PM or later)

Same amount of hay, but it’s broken up so that the horses aren’t going long stretches without something in their bellies. Ideally, I’d like to see all of those hay servings in small-hole hay nets as well. And, well…ideally I’d also like to stuff that hay net full at night check so horses have plenty to last until AM. But hay is expensive, and that might be something you’d have to provide (extra hay to supplement what the barn provides). I bet the labor of distributing hay several times a day, filling hay nets, and doing a late feeding like that is an issue as well. It may be there is someone willing to do it, but again, it might cost you an extra fee for the “special care.” (which should be routine, but…what can you do?)

[Alter_Tag]

@candyappy

Has she been dropping weight?

Yes, slightly. Their response was to up the grain. For three years the horse thrived on 1/4lb. Purina Enrich 2x a day, and two to three flakes of good quality hay thrown 3x a day (six to eight flakes a day total). Pasture was pretty good in the summer, non-existent in winter. The horse is now getting 1 lb. Tribute Kalm n EZ and 1/4 lb. Tribute Essential K 2x a day, with the four flakes of not great hay.

I guess I will start looking for a new barn.

[RhythmNCruise]

Yeah, good call to start looking for a new barn. I find a lot of boarding barns don’t feed enough hay and would rather up grain than hay. It’s not a good practice. I’ve left a barn because of this for sure.

Best of luck to you. I hope you find a good place.

[Alter_Tag]

Thank you.

[Alter_Tag]

Bump for update in first post

[SillyHorse]

Glad to see you found a new place. I agree that the current feeding program is a recipe for ulcers. I wouldn’t be surprised if more horses than yours have ulcers.