Learning Center

Any horse, whether a high-performance sport horse or a backyard pleasure horse, can develop gastric ulcers. In US Equestrian’s new Learning Center video, “Equine Gastric Ulcers,” Dr. Nimet Browne of the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, Ky., details the two separate disease processes of gastric ulcers: squamous ulcers, the most common type which affect the top third of the stomach, and glandular ulcers, which commonly appear closer to the pylorus, where the stomach opens into small intestine. Browne helps you identify symptoms, talks you through the gastroscopy procedure veterinarians use to diagnose ulcers, and discusses treatment options, which differs partly according to the type of ulcer the horse has.

“Gastric ulcer disease in horses is certainly not a death sentence, for sure, and most horses do recover after treatment,” Browne says. “Sometimes the initial treatment course of 30 days is not enough, and we do need to extend treatment. Some horses will benefit from staying on some sort of preventative protocol, whether that be medications, management changes, supplements, or some combination of those. But most horses do recover fully from gastric ulcers.”

Watch the video, read an article about equine gastric ulcer symptoms and management strategies, and find hundreds of other resources about horse health, training, breeds and disciplines, and more in the Learning Center at usef.org/learn.

As part of US Equestrian’s ongoing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Community Conversations series, we hosted a webinar that provided tips for creating and cultivating welcoming, gender-inclusive spaces for all ages and in any environment, whether at a competition or in a boarding or lesson barn. Moderated by US Equestrian’s affiliate and communications manager, Ashley Swift, the panel included Liam Miranda of The Inclusion Playbook, Western Washington University student and equestrian Lex Novak, and equestrian coach and farm owner Kate Sharkey. Watch the webinar, access the presentation slides, and check out numerous other resources and websites at usef.org/learn. Scroll down the page for this and other Community Conversations videos.