Transcript:

[0:00]

Hi everyone, welcome back to Mad Barn Academy — and if you’re new here, welcome! We hope to earn your subscription today. Our video today is the final installment of our three-part series on equine gastric ulcer syndrome. If you haven’t seen parts one and two, go ahead and do that — I’ve included the links to those two videos in the description below. Those videos cover the different types of gastric ulcers in horses, as well as current diagnostic and treatment options. They give some really good background information and are a great lead-up to today’s video.

[0:37]

Our focus today will be on prevention strategies — what sort of management and dietary changes can we make to reduce the risk of ulcers? Let’s get started. Let’s quickly remind ourselves of the risk factors for both squamous and glandular ulcers.

[0:55]

For squamous ulcers, we know that they form in the squamous region of the stomach due to prolonged exposure of the squamous epithelium to stomach acid. Factors that increase the risk of squamous ulcers include fasting or meal feeding, diets high in carbohydrates or large grain meals, high-intensity exercise, and anything that causes delayed clearance of digesta from the stomach.

[1:25]

Conversely, the cause of ulcers forming in the glandular region of the stomach is thought to be related to disruption or weakening of the glandular protective mechanisms — that mucus–bicarbonate barrier we’ve talked about. Risk factors for glandular ulcers include anything that causes physical stress or illness, greater than four days per week of exercise (regardless of intensity), and inappropriate use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

[1:53]

So basically, our prevention strategies are going to be aimed at minimizing or eliminating those risk factors involved in ulcer formation, as well as generally promoting good gut health. Obviously, not every horse will be able to avoid every risk factor — and that’s okay. The goal is to minimize as much as possible so that we can support digestive health. I’ve broken down prevention strategies into two categories: those targeting management, and those targeting diet. Let’s go through each in more detail.

[2:33]

When we talk about management changes, we’re often talking about reducing stress in that horse’s life. Stress elevates cortisol levels, and when chronically elevated, this can decrease prostaglandin levels. This is important because prostaglandins are involved in maintaining that mucus barrier in the glandular region of the stomach. By mitigating stress, we can maintain the integrity of those protective mechanisms and promote good gut health.

[3:05]

Horses are very sensitive to change — something most of us can appreciate. Things we as humans don’t perceive as stressful can be very stressful for horses. These can include transportation, changes in environment, changes in herd dynamics, irregular feeding or exercise schedules, lack of turnout, etc. Taking a comprehensive look at your horse’s husbandry and lifestyle to identify potential stressors can help shift the focus towards a low-stress management program, which can benefit susceptible horses.

[3:54]

Here are a few things to think about when looking to minimize your horse’s stress. First, establish a routine. Horses are creatures of habit, and a predictable routine can help them feel more comfortable in their environment. One study identified multiple caretakers as a risk factor for glandular ulcers — highlighting that even small changes in routine, such as switching who feeds or mucks stalls, may be enough to induce stress in some horses.

[4:29]

Second, avoid big changes in environment and routine. Minimize transportation and changes in herd dynamics whenever possible. Try not to frequently introduce new horses into the herd or switch pasture mates, and once your horse is settled into a stall or pasture, avoid changing it unless strictly necessary.

[4:53]

These first two points are especially important for performance horses. We often forget how stressful the life of a performance horse really is — even if they appear to cope well. For these horses, it’s important to establish routines away from home so there’s some consistency even when they’re off the farm.

[5:34]

Third, avoid stall confinement as much as possible. Horses confined to a stall may become bored, run out of food between meals if they don’t have free-choice hay, and experience increased stress markers. Some may even develop stereotypic behaviors like cribbing or weaving. Regular turnout is recommended for horses prone to ulcers — it’s good for their minds and digestive health.

[6:22]

Fourth, avoid isolation from other horses. Horses are herd animals and highly social — instinctually, there’s safety in numbers. Group turnout may not be safe for every horse (like stallions), but at minimum, another horse should always be within eyesight, both in the barn and in the pasture.

[7:09]

Other management factors not directly related to stress include avoiding exercise on an empty stomach and minimizing NSAID use. For the first, a hay net while grooming or tacking up can help — consuming hay right before exercise acts as a barrier to prevent acid splash. For the second, NSAIDs are necessary in some situations, so don’t be afraid to use them when needed, but consult your veterinarian to ensure correct dosing, proper intervals, and appropriate treatment length.

[8:09]

Now let’s switch to the second category: diet. Several dietary changes can target those risk factors to promote gut health and reduce ulcer risk. First, avoid intermittent feeding or meal feeding as much as possible. Feed in the stomach buffers acid and protects the squamous epithelium from exposure. Long stretches without food increase acidity, making the stomach more conducive to ulcer formation. At-risk horses should have constant free-choice forage, or at least avoid prolonged periods without food. If free-choice isn’t possible, hay nets can extend eating time.

[9:17]

Second, consider adding some alfalfa to the ration. Alfalfa can be beneficial because it’s higher in protein and calcium, both of which help buffer gastric acids. However, it’s not appropriate for every horse since it’s also higher in calories.

[9:47]

All right, number three is sort of a big one here because there are a lot of different moving pieces to this bullet point. Number three is to limit grain consumption. There are several reasons why concentrates in the diet can increase the risk of ulcers. Firstly, chewing grain takes less time, which means horses produce less saliva compared to chewing hay. This means there’s going to be less saliva to buffer gastric acids once that feed enters the stomach.

[10:20]

Second, concentrates exit the stomach more rapidly because they require less breakdown and digestion. This can increase the amount of time on an empty stomach, particularly if the horse is being fed in large, discrete meals. Third is the increased production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs), which lowers the pH in the stomach. Volatile fatty acids are produced from bacterial fermentation of feedstuffs — usually this occurs in the hindgut. When produced in excess, such as when horses receive large concentrate meals high in carbohydrates, these VFAs can decrease colon pH, leading to hindgut acidosis and microbial dysbiosis. This process can also occur to some extent in the stomach, creating a more acidic stomach environment.

[11:22]

So at the end of the day, there are several reasons why we recommend limiting grain consumption for at-risk horses. If we have a horse on a high-concentrate diet, we can replace some or all of those concentrates with more gut-friendly options like beet pulp, alfalfa, ground flax, oil, etc. There are many options available. If you think your horse might be a good candidate for a dietary change like this but you’re unsure where to start, don’t hesitate to reach out to a nutritionist. At Mad Barn, our nutrition team deals with diets like this all the time and can help you formulate a safe, appropriate diet to fit your horse’s needs. I’ve included a link to our free diet evaluation service in the description below — don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions.

[12:20]

To wrap up dietary changes, the last two factors on our list to consider are water and digestive supplements. Number four: ensure your horse has constant access to water. This might seem obvious, but water is often an overlooked predisposing factor to gastric ulcers. Research has shown that horses without free-choice access are 2.5 times more likely to develop gastric ulcers. Ensure your horse always has clean, palatable water — no debris in troughs or buckets, and functioning automatic waterers.

[13:00]

Last on our list is the use of digestive aids or supplements. These can help support a healthy digestive tract. Some ingredients have been studied and shown to benefit gastric health, including pectin-lecithin complexes, amino acids like glutamine and glycine, yeast, probiotics, and certain herbs or extracts like slippery elm, marshmallow root, meadowsweet, and licorice. There’s a lot out there, which can make navigating product choices challenging. I’ve included a link to our article on ulcer supplements in the description below — it goes into the research behind these ingredients in much more detail, and it’s quite comprehensive.

[13:59]

All right, you guys — that concludes our series on equine gastric ulcer syndrome. Let’s finish up with five key takeaways from the series as a whole. Number one: equine gastric ulcer syndrome is one of the most common digestive issues in horses, particularly competition horses. It’s extremely common across all performance disciplines and can negatively impact both health and performance.

[14:29]

Number two: gastric ulcers can develop in either the squamous portion or the glandular portion of the stomach, or both simultaneously. These two types have distinct etiologies or mechanisms, which has clinical implications for treatment and prevention.

[14:48]

Number three: the clinical signs of gastric ulcers are highly variable from horse to horse. If you think your horse might be acting “ulcery,” it’s best to involve your veterinarian so that — number four — you can get an accurate diagnosis. This will help guide an appropriate treatment and prevention plan for the future.

[15:08]

Lastly, number five: taking prevention strategies seriously can significantly reduce the occurrence or recurrence of gastric ulcers, particularly in susceptible horses. Not all risk factors are avoidable, but minimizing or eliminating them plays an important role in prevention. Even small changes can have a big impact.

[15:39]

Here are our references for today. Thanks for listening — don’t forget to like and subscribe, and explore the other videos on our channel. I hope you feel equipped to take this knowledge and implement it into your horse’s management program, and that you better understand the “why” and “how” of equine ulcers. Also, don’t forget to check out the additional links I’ve provided in the description below. I really appreciate you taking the time to listen, and I hope you learned something. Until next time!