Equine gastric ulcers can affect horses of many ages, breeds, and activity levels. They are especially familiar to owners of performance horses, frequent travelers, and animals exposed to significant changes in routine, but they are not limited to those groups.
Ulcers can also occur in pleasure horses, senior horses, breeding animals, and horses living seemingly quiet lives.
Because feeding practices influence the environment within the horses stomach, forage management is an important part of supporting gastric health. However, hay should never be viewed as a cure for ulcers. Horses showing signs of gastric discomfort need veterinary evaluation, and confirmed ulcers may require medical treatment in addition to management changes.
Understanding Equine Gastric Ulcers
Equine gastric ulcer syndrome is a broad term used to describe ulceration affecting the lining of the horses stomach.
The condition may be difficult to recognize because many affected horses show only subtle or inconsistent signs. Possible signs can include:
● reduced appetite
● weight loss
● declining body condition
● changes in attitude
● decreased performance
● reluctance to train
● sensitivity around the girth
● dull coat
● mild or recurring colic
These signs are not specific to ulcers and may also occur with other medical or management problems. Gastroscopy, in which a veterinarian examines the stomach with an endoscope, is the definitive way to identify gastric ulceration.
The Horses Stomach Is Designed for Frequent Eating
Horses evolved to consume small amounts of forage over much of the day.
Their stomachs continuously produce acid, including during periods when they are not eating. Under natural grazing conditions, frequent forage intake helps moderate that environment because feed and saliva provide buffering within the stomach.
Modern management can create a very different feeding pattern.
A horse may receive hay only a few times per day, finish it quickly, and then remain without forage for several hours. During these empty periods, acid continues to be produced even though less feed and saliva are present to help buffer it.
This does not mean every horse with scheduled meals will develop ulcers. It does mean that long periods without forage may be an important consideration when managing horses at risk.
Chewing Forage Encourages Saliva Production
Unlike people, horses produce most of their saliva while chewing.
Long-stem forage requires substantial chewing, which encourages saliva flow. Saliva helps moisten feed and provides natural buffering as it enters the stomach.
This is one reason forage supports gastric health differently from a small, rapidly consumed concentrate meal.
Hay that is palatable and comfortable to chew may help encourage:
● longer eating periods
● greater saliva production
● steadier forage intake
● more natural feeding behavior
The benefit comes not from one particular hay species, but from providing appropriate forage that the horse consistently eats.
Avoid Unnecessarily Long Gaps Without Forage
One of the most practical management goals for an ulcer-prone horse is reducing extended fasting periods whenever the horses health and calorie requirements allow it.
Possible strategies include:
● dividing hay into more frequent feedings
● using an appropriately designed slow feeder
● providing turnout with safe pasture access
● placing hay at several feeding stations
● offering a late-evening feeding
● checking how quickly the horse actually finishes each portion
Slow feeders can be useful, but they should extend eating time rather than make forage so difficult to obtain that the horse becomes frustrated or consumes too little.
Easy keepers and horses with metabolic concerns may still require controlled calorie intake. For these animals, the objective is not necessarily unlimited hay. It is to distribute an appropriate daily forage allowance in a way that reduces long empty periods while supporting healthy body condition.
Forage Quality Influences Actual Intake
Providing hay does not help if the horse refuses much of it.
Coarse, dusty, moldy, weather-damaged, or unpalatable forage may lead to:
● selective eating
● reduced total intake
● excessive waste
● longer periods with an empty stomach
Clean, aromatic, appropriately mature hay generally encourages more reliable consumption.
Soft, leafy orchardgrass is often useful in these programs because many horses eat it readily and spend less time sorting through coarse stems. That does not mean orchardgrass treats or prevents ulcers. Its practical value is that palatable forage can support more consistent eating and chewing.
Timothy, smooth bromegrass, bermudagrass, prairie grass, and other well-made grass hays may also be appropriate depending on the individual horse, available hay lot, body condition, and nutritional needs.
Grain May Need to Be Evaluated
Concentrates have an important role in many feeding programs, particularly for horses with high calorie demands. However, large grain meals and feeding programs that provide relatively little forage may contribute to an unfavorable gastric environment.
Owners do not necessarily need to eliminate grain. Instead, they may need to consider:
● whether the horse truly requires the current amount
● whether large meals can be divided into smaller portions
● whether more calories can come from digestible fiber
● whether forage is available before concentrates are fed
● whether the horse is receiving enough total roughage
Any significant dietary adjustment should be made gradually, especially in horses already experiencing digestive discomfort.
Alfalfa May Have a Place in Some Programs
Alfalfa is sometimes incorporated into feeding programs for horses with gastric concerns because its nutritional composition may provide greater buffering than some grass hays.
A modest amount of alfalfa, or an orchardgrass/alfalfa blend, may be appropriate for certain horses - particularly those that also need additional calories, protein, or highly palatable forage. Some veterinary management plans also use a small forage meal before strenuous exercise.
Alfalfa is not automatically appropriate for every horse. Easy keepers, horses with particular mineral requirements, and animals needing tightly controlled calorie intake may require a different approach.
The decision should reflect the entire feeding program rather than the belief that one forage species can solve a medical condition.
Exercise and Travel Affect Gastric Management
Performance horses frequently experience several ulcer risk factors at the same time:
● intense exercise
● transportation
● stall confinement
● schedule changes
● unfamiliar environments
● reduced turnout
● interrupted feeding routines
During exercise, acidic stomach contents may reach the more vulnerable upper portion of the stomach. Transport, confinement, and changes in routine may add further stress.
For horses that travel regularly, owners can support feeding consistency by:
● bringing familiar hay when practical
● offering forage during safe travel stops
● avoiding abrupt hay changes at events
● encouraging hydration
● maintaining familiar feeding times
● discussing preventive medical management with a veterinarian
A horse that eats well at home may consume far less forage in an unfamiliar stall, so actual intake deserves close attention.
Stress Management Is Part of the Feeding Program
Nutrition is only one part of gastric health.
Herd conflict, isolation, frequent travel, heavy training, pain, illness, and prolonged confinement may all affect appetite and stress levels.
Management changes that may help include:
● increasing turnout where appropriate
● allowing safe social contact
● maintaining predictable routines
● reducing unnecessary training intensity during treatment
● providing multiple feeding areas for group-housed horses
● preventing dominant animals from guarding forage
A well-designed feeding program cannot fully compensate for an environment that repeatedly prevents a horse from eating comfortably.
Medical Treatment and Forage Management Work Together
When gastric ulcers are suspected, simply changing hay is not an adequate substitute for veterinary care.
A veterinarian may recommend gastroscopy, medication, changes in exercise, or modifications to the horse's feeding and turnout routine. Management changes are important because ulcers may recur when the same risk factors remain after treatment.
Forage management should be viewed as one part of a broader plan that may also
include:
● veterinary diagnosis
● prescribed medication
● stress reduction
● exercise modification
● concentrate evaluation
● consistent access to clean water
● careful monitoring of appetite and body condition
The strongest programs address both the medical condition and the daily routine surrounding it.
Choosing Hay at the Barn
When selecting hay for a horse with a history of gastric discomfort, begin with the question that matters most: Will this horse eat it consistently?
Look for forage that is:
● clean and properly cured
● free from visible mold
● low in dust
● pleasantly aromatic
● comfortable to chew
● consistent from bale to bale
Soft orchardgrass may be an excellent option for a selective eater, while an orchardgrass/alfalfa blend may suit a horse needing more nutritional density. A moderate grass hay may be more appropriate for an easy keeper whose daily intake must be carefully managed.
The species name matters, but it is only one part of the decision. Harvest maturity, leaf retention, cleanliness, storage, palatability, and the horses individual requirements all influence whether a particular hay will fit the feeding program.
FAQ
Can hay cure gastric ulcers in horses?
No. Appropriate forage management may support gastric health and reduce certain risk factors, but it does not replace veterinary diagnosis or prescribed ulcer treatment.
What hay is best for a horse prone to ulcers?
There is no single best hay for every horse. Clean, palatable forage that encourages frequent chewing and consistent intake is generally valuable. Soft orchardgrass is often well accepted, while some horses may benefit from a modest amount of alfalfa or an orchardgrass/alfalfa blend.
Should ulcer-prone horses have hay available all the time?
Frequent forage access is often helpful, but the feeding plan must also account for body condition, metabolic health, and total calorie intake. Controlled portions can be divided across the day to reduce long gaps without forage.
Can large grain meals contribute to gastric problems?
High-concentrate feeding and relatively low forage intake may contribute to an unfavorable gastric environment in some horses. Concentrates may still be necessary, but large meals can often be divided and balanced with adequate forage.
How can I tell whether my horse has ulcers?
Possible signs include appetite changes, weight loss, poor performance, girth sensitivity, attitude changes, and recurring mild colic. These signs are nonspecific, and gastroscopy is the definitive diagnostic method.