Feed & Stable
Strategically Feeding the Ulcer-prone Horse
Contributed by Hayley Keck
What does an ulcer-prone horse look like? The first thing that comes to mind is the racehorse. He or she is young, travels often, runs its heart out and is fed massive amounts of feed in one day from the very beginning. This assumption is correct, since racehorses have the highest rate of ulcers at 90%. But the ugly truth is it could be your horse, too. After all, 60 to 90% of all perfor-
mance horses suffer from gastric ulcers, many of which do not show symptoms. So how can we manage ulcers from day-to-day? Focus on the most important management prac- tice: the diet.
Forage For any horse, especially the ulcer-prone type,
hay should always be available. Ulcers tend to flare up when the stomach is empty, and because we of- ten feed two to three structured meals a day, this can happen frequently. Providing hay 24/7 allows the horse to munch all day, which produces more sali- va and naturally buffers the hydrochloric acid in the stomach. Additionally, feeding a forage like alfalfa, which has higher protein and calcium levels, can help maintain the integrity of the stomach lining.
If you have an overweight horse, consider providing it with a lower-calorie forage,
like prairie hay that will not add excess calories but will still provide the same benefits mentioned above.
Reduce Starch Horse feeds high in concentrated grains, like
many of the fortified feeds that performance horses consume, are great for providing calories, but they are not ideal for the ulcer-prone horse because of their high levels of starch. If you have a performance horse that is prone to ulcers and requires a concen- trated grain, the best idea is to break down feedings into three to four meals per day. Any longer than six hours in between feedings is too long and will allow
Continued on page 13 June 2019 SouthWest Horse Trader 7
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