This post is about what I have found to be useful in dealing with ulcer issues in my gelding, Fizz.
A little background - I picked up Fizz as a 10 year old 'problem child.' He had been causing problems with the previous owners in a myriad of ways. Difficult to load, anxious, rearing, aggressive behavior, bucking - all the behaviors that don't endear horses to their owners.
My initial impression of Fizz was that he was a very smart horse who had figured out how to manipulate the system(humans). Fizz and I got to work establishing a relationship and all appeared to be swell.
Fast forward to middle of the ride season 2012. Fizz is not holding weight, has become a reluctant trailer loader(again) and is extremely reactive under saddle. When I say reactive, what I really mean is when Fizz was having a bad day(which is what I used to think/call his episodes) - he felt like a bomb about to go off. If I moved/twitched, he was going to erupt. His behavior made no sense. Fizz is a 15.2 hand, big, athletic Arab gelding. If he wanted me off his back, he was fully capable of making that happen ASAP. So why the chaotic behavior? What the heck was going on? I started doing research regarding his symptoms. Decided I had perhaps pushed him too hard in his first season of endurance riding. Perhaps he was sour from an excess of work. Laid him off for the remainder of 2012.
Spring 2013 - Fizzy looks great. Weight is good, attitude is excellent. Here we come ride season 2013! Once again however, about mid ride season, the weight began dropping, trailer loading issues, bad attitude under saddle. WTH is going on with this guy? Research pointed to an ulcerated pony. :(
Dr. Kerry Ridgway DVM has a great article on Equine Ulcers. Excellent reading for those of you who think you might have an equine friend in trouble.
Dr. Kerry Ridgway DVM has a great article on Equine Ulcers. Excellent reading for those of you who think you might have an equine friend in trouble.
The standard test for ulcer involves a 12 hour fast prior to scoping. The withholding of food for extended periods of time can contribute to ulcers. My vet recommended that we proceed with treating Fizz for ulcers proactively. Fizz received a month of Gastroguard.
After a month of treatment, once again Fizz looks great. Attitude has improved. But here's the catch - unless I can address what is causing the ulcers we will be facing treatment again.
Research has shown that 60% of performance horses may have ulcers.
So what causes ulcers? The better question might be what doesn't cause ulcers. :) The following are some of the suspect activities for ulcer formation:
Competition, trailering, changes in feed, changes in routine, grain, exercise at speeds greater than a walk, fasting during trailering. Yikes - sounds like a laundry list of what endurance horses deal with every weekend.
It is now 5 months after treatment. Fizz looks great. Attitude is great. He is back to work and all appears good. I have my fingers crossed for the 2014 ride season. Here is what has worked for us. **Again, I am NOT a vet. Please consult your veterinarian before trying these recommendations.
My Laundry List for Ulcer Prevention
- 24/7 access to hay. This was a bit of problem for me initially. I have 5 horses, one of which is an extremely easy keeper. I ended up having to muzzle Bert(easy keeper) for 12 hours of the day even during the winter for the 24/7 hay solution to work
- Slow Feed Hay Nets. Research has shown that ulcer development occurs when gastric secretions(acids) attack an empty stomach. By utilizing slow feed hay nets, I can keep hay in front of the herd at all times. The slow feed nets encourage 'trickle feeding' into the equine stomach, similar to grazing. In addition, roughage(hay) stimulates saliva production which helps to neutralize stomach acid.
- The addition of alfalfa to the diet. Alfalfa is high in calcium which is thought to help decrease ulcers. http://www.thehorse.com/articles/20839/alfalfa-hay-reduces-ulcer-severity I use alfalfa pellets as I do not have a reliable alfalfa source in my area.
- Elimination of processed grain. This was a tough one for me initially. Fizz has always been a hard keeper. I thought if I took him off the grain, he would probably just disappear. Couldn't be farther from the truth. I eliminated all grain, began a feeding program consisting on beetpulp, alfalfa pellets, ground flax, fat, and supplements. And of course, HAY, HAY, HAY. Fizz has actually gained weight on this feeding protocol.
- Pro-active treatment before trailering. Before Fizz even sees the trailer, he receives a dose of Maalox (antacid) via dosing syringe. I have always offered hay in the trailer while hauling. Since the addition of the Maalox, Fizz has begun eating in the trailer.
- Hauling with a buddy horse to endurance rides. Bringing along a companion horse, while making more work for me, has greatly helped Fizz to settle and relax at rides. At this point, it seems a small price to pay for a non-ulcerated horse. Much cheaper than another round of Gastroguard!
- Preventative treatment during competition. Gastroguard(omeprazole) is illegal during competition in AERC sanctioned events. Since I know the stress of competing could cause an ulcer flare-up. I began to search for solutions. So after again researching legal options - I began using Neigh-lox from KPP.
According to the research at KPP, " Neigh-lox has the capacity to buffer for a long period of time (minimum 6-8 hours); most antacids buffer for much shorter period. Neigh-lox buffers large amounts of acid; one dose (4 oz) has 240 mEq of acid-neutralizing capacity, which is equivalent to the amount of gastric acid typically produced over a six-hour period. In addition to its buffering capabilities, Neigh-Lox also contains compounds that coat the lining of the stomach and adhere to gastric lesions, which maintains healthy mucose and and supports healing."
This ulcer journey of Fizzy's and mine has been a long, painful, and educational experience. One of the many things that has occurred to me is this:
How many truly great horses have been put down or sent to slaughter as rogues/maniacs/unmanageable were actually horses reacting to ulcer pain?
