Gastric ulcers are relatively common in horses and can be difficult to identify because the signs are often subtle. A horse with gastric discomfort may go off its feed or become unusually grumpy, twitchy or girthy.
However, these same behaviours can also occur when a horse is reacting to an unsuitable diet, particularly when grazing certain cool-season pastures such as ryegrass, cocksfoot, timothy and clovers during periods of active growth.
This raises an important question: is your horse girthy because of gastric ulcers, or could something else be contributing?
Girthiness or Gastric Ulcers?
There is no reliable way to confirm gastric ulcers from behaviour alone. Gastroscopy is currently the standard way to visualise and confirm gastric ulcers, although it can be an expensive and unpleasant procedure for the horse.
Before assuming ulcers are the cause, it is worth looking closely at your horse's diet, forage, grazing conditions and daily routine.
Signs to Look For
Horses with gastric ulcers may:
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Go off their feed or appear interested in eating but reluctant to do so
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Become girthy or uncomfortable when being saddled
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Become grumpy, sensitive or unusually reactive
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Show changes in normal behaviour
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Display signs of abdominal discomfort
These signs are not specific to ulcers, however, and other dietary or physical factors can produce very similar behaviour.
Why Forage and Chewing Time Matter
One of the most important considerations for digestive health is ensuring your horse has sufficient forage and regular opportunities to chew.
A horse may go without adequate forage when:
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Hay runs out before the next feed
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There are long periods between meals
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The horse is travelling or spending extended periods tied to a float or trailer
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The horse is yarded for several hours without hay
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Grazing is severely restricted
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The horse is kept on very short grass
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A grazing muzzle is worn for prolonged periods
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The available pasture consists mainly of young, lush grass with relatively little mature fibre
Horses are designed to spend much of their day grazing and chewing. Chewing produces saliva, which helps buffer stomach acid.
Maintaining regular access to appropriate forage therefore plays an important role in supporting normal digestive function.
Understanding the Equine Stomach
The horse's stomach has two distinct regions. The lower glandular region produces gastric acid and protective substances, while the upper non-glandular region has much less protection against stomach acid.
Forage and chewing help create a fibrous layer within the stomach. This helps reduce the exposure of the more vulnerable upper region to gastric acid and can help minimise acid 'splash' during movement.
This is one reason it is preferable not to exercise a horse when its stomach is completely empty. Providing forage before exercise can help ensure there is material in the stomach to provide some protection.
Stress, Feeding and Horse Behaviour
For horses, regular access to forage and companionship are important parts of a natural lifestyle.
Long periods without food can be stressful, particularly when combined with isolation, confinement or other changes to their normal routine. Some horses may develop unwanted behaviours when their basic needs for forage, movement and companionship are not being met.
Wind-sucking and other stereotypical behaviours can sometimes develop in horses experiencing ongoing stress or discomfort, although there can be several contributing factors.
Rather than simply trying to manage the behaviour, it is worth looking at what may be causing the horse to feel uncomfortable or stressed in the first place.
Could Diet Be Causing Girthiness?
Girthiness and grumpiness do not automatically mean a horse has gastric ulcers.
Diet can have a significant influence on behaviour and physical wellbeing, and some horses can become particularly sensitive when consuming high-potassium or high-protein feeds alongside certain cool-season grasses and clovers.
If your horse has suddenly become girthy, twitchy or difficult to handle, review the diet before assuming gastric ulcers are responsible.
Lucerne and Gastric Ulcers
Lucerne, also known as alfalfa, is often recommended for horses suspected of having gastric ulcers because its calcium content can help buffer stomach acid.
However, lucerne is not necessarily appropriate for every horse.
It is also relatively high in crude protein and potassium, and these nutritional characteristics may not suit horses already consuming cool-season grasses and clovers.
For some horses, the combination of lush cool-season pasture and additional lucerne may contribute to unwanted changes in behaviour and sensitivity.
This is why it is important to consider the horse's entire diet rather than adding lucerne simply because ulcers are suspected.
Dietary Support for Girthy Horses
If your horse is showing signs of girthiness or digestive discomfort, dietary adjustments may be worth considering.
Providing free-choice, suitable grassy hay can help increase forage and chewing time. It may also be helpful to review and reduce feeds that are particularly high in potassium, such as lucerne, soy and molasses, where appropriate for the individual horse.
For additional dietary support, Calm Healthy Horses SOS can be added to a plain feed.
For more information about feeding horses affected by pasture, see our guide to feeding grass-affected horses.
Supporting Your Horse's Digestive Health
When a horse becomes girthy, twitchy or grumpy, it is worth looking beyond the obvious and considering the whole picture.
Review the horse's forage intake, grazing, feed ingredients, chewing time, exercise routine, companionship and general management. Removing an unsuitable feed or improving access to appropriate forage may make a significant difference for some horses.
If you are concerned that your horse may have gastric ulcers, veterinary assessment and appropriate diagnostic testing should be considered.
For more information about supporting digestive health naturally, complete our complimentary Horse Questionnaire.