Gastric Ulcers in Horses: Assessment, Forage Planning and Treatment Review
Reviewed by medical articles. Educational information, not an individual diagnosis or prescription.
Gastric Ulcers in Horses: Assessment, Forage Planning and Treatment Review
**Animal:** Horse
**Topic:** Digestive health
**Researched:** 28 October 2026
**Editorial status:** Researched draft; veterinary review pending.
**Suggested URL:** /horse/horse-gastric-ulcers
**Meta description:** Understand nonspecific signs of equine gastric ulcers, why assessment matters and how feeding routines can support a veterinary treatment plan.
Poor appetite, changes in attitude, weight loss or recurrent abdominal discomfort can lead owners to suspect gastric ulcers. These signs are not specific, and other diseases must be considered. A horse with severe or persistent colic needs urgent veterinary assessment rather than a trial of an ulcer supplement. [1]
Equine gastric ulcer syndrome includes disease affecting different stomach regions. This matters because one management or treatment claim should not be assumed to apply equally to every case. The care plan needs to follow the diagnosis.
Record the problem without diagnosing it yourself
Write down appetite, feeding intervals, body-condition changes, workload, travel, turnout and medicines. Describe the behaviour you see rather than labelling every unwanted response as ulcer pain. Include when the changes began and whether there are symptom-free periods.
Photograph feed labels and estimate the actual amount of forage and concentrate received. Record time without forage, including during travel or before training, rather than describing the horse as always having hay when the net is sometimes empty.
Bring previous colic and dental records. A clear history helps the veterinarian decide which investigations are appropriate and whether the suspected stomach problem explains the whole picture.
Seek urgent help for acute illness
Call promptly for significant abdominal pain, repeated rolling, weakness, collapse, marked appetite loss or another concerning change. In a foal, poor nursing, unusual salivation or abdominal discomfort warrants prompt advice. Do not assume that an existing ulcer diagnosis makes a new colic episode safe to manage at home.
Ask what to do about feed, water and medicines while help is arranged. Avoid giving a series of oral products to see which one settles the horse. Record any medicine already administered so that the clinician can assess it accurately.
How are ulcers confirmed?
Merck identifies endoscopic examination as the reliable method for diagnosing gastric ulcers. Signs alone and routine laboratory findings do not reliably establish the diagnosis. [1]
Ask the veterinarian what the proposed examination will show, how the horse should be prepared and whether referral is needed. Do not fast the horse according to an internet timetable before an appointment has been arranged. Preparation instructions should come from the team performing the procedure.
After examination, ask which region is affected, how severe the findings are and whether another condition may also contribute to the signs. Keep the report for comparison at future reviews.
What food and feeding changes may help?
Feeding management is part of support, not a substitute for prescribed treatment. Merck discusses regular forage access, careful use of concentrates and lower nonstructural-carbohydrate feeding approaches in management of gastric ulcer disease, while noting limitations in evidence for some disease types. [2]
Ask a veterinarian or qualified equine nutrition professional to review the entire ration. A horse with obesity, insulin dysregulation or poor teeth may need an adapted forage plan; unlimited access to any available feed is not a universal answer.
Clarify how to avoid long gaps without appropriate forage while keeping the daily ration suitable. If slow feeders are recommended, check that the horse can use them safely and actually obtains the intended amount.
Do not solve energy needs by guesswork
A horse losing condition may need more nutritional support, but suddenly increasing grain can create another problem. Ask how energy requirements will be met and how any change should be introduced. Record the product, weighed amount and feeding frequency.
If a supplement is proposed, ask what evidence supports its use for the diagnosed condition, whether it affects medicines and what outcome will be measured. Do not buy several products at once, because cost and complexity can rise without clarifying which measure is useful.
Keep fresh water access and feeding equipment part of the management discussion. A plan needs to work during routine days, competition, transport and staff absences.
Follow the medicine plan and review it
The veterinarian may prescribe acid-suppressing or other treatment based on the findings. Product selection, duration and reassessment are individual decisions. Do not substitute an unverified online product or change the course because behaviour improves after a few days. [1]
Ask about administration relative to feeding, missed doses and any competition rules relevant to prescribed medicines. Obtain instructions directly from the treating team. If giving the medicine is difficult, report that before several doses are missed.
Set useful follow-up goals
Agree on what will be reviewed: appetite, body condition, behaviour, performance and possibly repeat examination. Improvement in one sign does not necessarily prove complete healing. Keep a record of feeding and workload changes so the veterinarian can interpret the response.
Discuss the long-term routine before stopping treatment. A plan that works only while the horse is resting at home may need adjustment when training and travel resume.
**Does girth sensitivity prove ulcers?** No. It is a reason to assess the horse, not a diagnosis.
**Can food alone heal every case?** No. Feeding support and veterinary treatment have different roles.
**Can a supplement replace investigation?** It should not delay assessment of persistent or significant signs. Ask for evidence and measurable goals rather than relying on a general stomach-health claim.
Sources
[1] [Merck Veterinary Manual: Stomach Ulcers in Horses](https://www.merckvetmanual.com/horse-owners/digestive-disorders-of-horses/stomach-gastric-ulcers-in-horses)
[2] [Merck Veterinary Manual: Feeding the Sick Horse and Other Equids](https://www.merckvetmanual.com/management-and-nutrition/nutrition-horses/feeding-the-sick-horse-and-other-equids)