Equine gastric ulcers are a common health concern among nearly 70-80% of horses worldwide. Prior knowledge of gastric ulcer symptoms in horses is crucial for timely intervention and treatment. We will delve into the world of signs of ulcers in horses and shed light on the significant role that saddles fitting plays in their development.
By understanding the connection between ulcers, saddle fit, and the horse's overall digestive health, you can take proactive measures to promote equine well-being.
What are the Gastric Ulcers in Horses?
Gastric ulcers are a common health issue among horses that can significantly impact their well-being and performance. These ulcers in the stomach lining can cause discomfort, digestive disturbances, and behavioral changes in affected horses.
Almost half of all foals and one-third of adult horses seem to be affected by gastric ulcers. No specific age group is prone to severe ulcer formation, but it can occur in all horses.
The smaller stomach size and stall-def environment make horses more prone to ulcers than other animals.
What Causes Gastric Ulcers in Horses?
The horse has a smaller stomach than other animals, so it cannot handle large amounts of food. Their natural eating pattern involves grazing and consuming small feed portions frequently over extended periods. A horse's stomach continuously produces acid to aid digestion, even when not eating, generating up to 9 gallons of acidic fluid daily. In a natural grazing scenario, the acid is balanced by feed and saliva.
However, when horses are fed only two times a day, as is common in many boarding situations, their stomachs experience prolonged periods without food to neutralize the acid. This lack of buffering can increase the risk of ulcers. Additionally, diets high in grain can produce volatile fatty acids that contribute to ulcer development. Other factors that can increase the likelihood of ulcers include physical and environmental stressors like transportation stress and stall confinement. Lastly, the chronic use of certain nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as phenylbutazone ("bute"), flunixin meglumine (Banamine), or ketoprofen can reduce the production of the stomach's protective mucus layer, making it more susceptible to ulcers.
What are the Signs of Ulcers in Horses?
The etiology behind ulcer formation in horses is multifactorial. The symptoms are manifold and not very clearly indicative of gastric ulcers. Similarly, the signs of ulcers in horses also vary greatly.
Here we are discussing common to prominent signs of ulcers in horses that would help you diagnose the problem and refer to an early treatment:
1. Change in Feeding and Watering Behavior of the Horse
- Loss of Appetite: It would be the first sign that your horse has any digestive anomaly. Look out for reduced feed intake, picky eating, or avoiding hay altogether. Your horse would deny the offered food by pushing it back with its nose. The horse feels pain during eating since the stomach lining is already damaged due to ulcers. Less eating only worsens the situation of the horse suffering from ulcers.
- Passive Chewing of Food: You may also observe your horse doing some idle chewing movements of grinding food without having any food in the mouth. This may be accompanied by excessive grinding of the lower jaw.
- Increase or Decrease in Water Intake: Different horses with ulcers behaves differently in the water intake. Some may increase the water intake, and some may decrease it.
2. Signs of Ulcers in Horses in the Pasture Fields
- Horse Feel Difficulty in Lying Down: You would say my horse sleeps while standing! How is it about lying down? If your horse is trying to lie down, but perhaps after several attempts, it can't. It is indicative of extreme stomach contraction pain that he feels while trying to lie down.
- Comprehensive Posture of Hind Legs: You may observe an 'extended posture of limbs' in your horse suffering from ulcers or colic. The stance looks like a urinating posture. So, check twice when your horse looks like urinating but doesn't urinate. Extending the hind limbs backward and forelimbs forward helps to relieve some stomach pain.
3. Weight Loss and Poor Body Condition
Unexplained weight loss and poor body condition are warning signs that warrant attention. Ulcers can interfere with proper digestion and nutrient absorption, leading to weight loss and a compromised overall physical appearance.
4. Performance Issues: Decline in Attitude and Performance
You can suspect ulcers to be the culprit if your horse's attitude or performance declines suddenly. A horse with undiagnosed ulcers might display a lack of enthusiasm, decreased stamina, or reluctance to perform specific movements, which saddle-related problems could aggravate.
5. Changes in Coat Condition: Dull and Lackluster Coat
The horse's coat can reflect its overall health. If you notice a decline in coat quality despite appropriate grooming and care, it is essential to consider ulcers as a potential culprit. Ulcers can cause nutritional deficiencies, leading to a dull and lackluster coat.
6. Sensitivity or Pain Around the Girth Area
Horses with ulcers may display discomfort or sensitivity around the girth area. Suppose your horse becomes agitated and exhibits pain or discomfort during saddling or girth tightening. In that case, evaluating whether the saddle contributes to their distress and potentially aggravates the ulcer condition is crucial. We have discussed below more about the horse ulcer symptoms under the saddle.
What Happens When You Put Saddle Around a Horse With Ulcer?
Horses suffering from stomach ulcers may exhibit discomfort or pain when saddled, commonly because of being "girthy."
Tightening the girth can be uncomfortable for a horse with ulcers, causing distress. If you have a new horse that shows resistance or intolerance to saddling, it could indicate ulcers as the underlying issue. Additionally, if your current horse becomes more sensitive to the saddle, it could be a symptom of ulcers or a consequence of an ill-fitting saddle. It is essential to closely monitor any changes in your horse's behavior during saddling, as it can provide valuable insights into the presence of ulcers and the quality of saddle fit.
A horse with an ulcer is reluctant to do exercise. The condition worsens if a suffering horse is saddled and taken out for training.
Equine Ulcers Behavior & Symptoms - Not to be Ignored
When a horse is unwell, it may exhibit behavior that it wouldn't typically exhibit. Any alteration in the horse's behavior should be a matter of concern and necessitates further investigation for 'equine ulcer behavior.'
A shift in behavior can be a significant indicator of equine ulcers, manifesting as an altered attitude or reluctance to engage in movements or activities that the horse would typically perform without issue. Some horses display signs of discomfort during the exercise. The extra acid splashes to the stomach wall deteriorate the condition. Bruxism, characterized by teeth grinding, is a behavioral change observed in horses with ulcers. Another behavior associated with equine ulcers, mainly if it is a new behavior for the horse, is chewing wood. This behavior aids in producing saliva, which helps neutralize stomach acid.
Crib biting is another meaningful behavioral sign in foals suffering from ulcers. Also, ulcers can make your horse lie down often. Excessive recumbency is also a sign of getting diagnosed with ulcers.
Horses afflicted with ulcers may display increased aggression towards other horses, particularly during feeding. They may rush towards the feed bucket, paw the ground, show threatening behavior towards neighboring horses, or kick at stall walls. Under saddle, they might appear nervous or easily startled, and in general, they may seem irritable when interacting with herd mates or handlers.
Therefore, the presence of such behaviors can strongly suggest the presence of ulcers in horses.
FAQs
Q 1- How can I tell my horse has ulcers?
Ans: You can see the following signs of ulcers in horses- Poor appetite, grinding of teeth, excessive salivation, crib biting, changed behavioral symptoms, poor body conditions, poor coat, etc.
Q 2- What is equine ulcer behavior?
Ans: The horse would show reluctance to eat, less interest in grazing, be aggressive around other horses or attendants, deny the fitting of the saddle, try to lie down often, etc.
Q 3- Are gastric ulcers severe in horses?
Ans- Ulcers in horses gradually deteriorate the horse's condition if not treated on time. Ulcers start eroding the gastric lining, making it bleed and causing pain. The severe perforation of gastric mucosa can be fatal to a horse.
Q 4- Why is my horse feeling pain during saddling?
Ans- The ulcers in horses can be a prominent reason if you cannot visualize any external saddle sores. You must contact your veterinarian immediately when your horse refuses to fit the saddle and shows pain signs.
Conclusion
Gastric ulcers are a common and fatal disease of performing horses that are usually stall-fed. The development of gastric ulcers in horses is primarily attributed to an imbalance between the production of stomach acid and the protective mechanisms of the stomach lining.
Horse ulcer symptoms may start with poor appetite, refusing feed, poor coat and body conditions, etc. Equine ulcer behavior also includes changes in aggression, refusing to exercise, crib biting, lying down in more pain, extended leg posture, and more.
Such signs, along with confirmatory diagnosis by gastroscopy by a veterinarian, shouldn't be underestimated. Ulcers in horses can be cured with a suitable line of treatment and preventive measures.