LunA Tunes Freestyles


Horse or Equine Stomach & Hind Gut Ulcers





Questions to Diagnose:



Stomach and hind gut ulcers in horses or equines can be a source of great pain and distress for many horses. I want to start this page by stating that I am NOT a Veterinarian. Also, I do not sellany of the products mentioned on this page, however, I have used them and worked with the companies. I am a rider who has experience with a horses that have had stomach and hind gut ulcers problems. I have lived with my ulcer horse everyday for over a decade. I have been all over the country and seen many horses that also show signs that they might have ulcers.


I decided to add this page to my web site to help inform the many riders who have experienced many of the same issues that I have had. I am merely sharing my experiences and knowledge, so that it might help any horse and rider that might be having problems. There is a lot of information on this and the joint page. Please feel free to visit it more than once or print it out so you can refer to it often. It is your decision if you follow any treatments on this web site. If you have any concerns, you should consult your veterinarian.


Sometimes people think their horse is having training difficulties, when if fact, the horse is in pain. I have found time and time again, if your horse cannot or will not do something that you think they should be able to do, PUT DOWN THE WHIP, GET OFF, AND START LOOKING FOR A PAIN ISSUE. It may not be easy to find and you need a good vet to help, but I assure you, once you find it, the horse will work willingly. It could be sore hocks, stifles, hooves, backs, ovulation in mares, TMJ, or stomach or hind gut ulcers. There are very few horses that are bad tempered. They usually want to please. Most of the time, the horse is as frustrated as the rider.


Does your horse spook, bolt, rear, buck, or kick while riding? Is your horse “girthy”? Is your horse nervous or does it worry? Do you ride a mare, stallion, or sensitive gelding? Do you believe your horse is not happy? Does your horse always seem to be crooked to the right? Does it not want to pick up the right canter lead or do flying changes in that direction? Does your horse have a hard time holding weight? Is it a picky eater? Does it have a dull coat? Has your horse just experienced a recent trauma in their life? Have they been recently imported, moved to a new barn, or their buddy has left? Has your horse's behavior gotten worse as your training proceeds where as it should be getting better? Does your horse colic or stress when the weather changes, either hot, cold, or both? (FYI Horses have more trouble in the winter as the low pressure changes of the storms bother them.)


If you answered “yes” to even one of these questions, your horse could have ulcers. Even if you answered “no”, your horse still could have stomach and/or hind gut ulcers. The only sure thing about ulcer symptoms is that all horses react differently to stomach ulcers.


Also, you have found this page because you already think your horse has ulcers. You wouldn't be here if they didn't.

Please note, if your horse is experiencing pain in another part of it's body, this can also cause ulcers. If you treat the ulcers, and they don't get better in 2 -3 weeks, look for another source of pain. You'll need to treat the pain and the ulcers.

Also, you can't think you are going to treat the ulcers once and that will fix the horse for the rest of it's life. They do get new ones. So preventing and treating ulcers can be an "on going" process. That's why I have found cheaper sources of ulcer medicines, so it is cost effective to keep the horse on them.



My Story



I owned a very talented mare in 2003. She’s an excellent mover and loves to work, but she worries. I trained my last mare to Grand Prix with the help of a two time Olympian. I have started many babies, so I felt that I knew what I was doing. I have ridden many disciplines besides dressage including barrel racing, eventing, and hunter, jumpers. Unfortunately, the farther we got into our training, the more spooking was occurring. She is extremely athletic, and most of the behavior was blamed on her hotness.


A friend of mine had told me that her gelding was very similar to my mare in personality and she had treated her horse for ulcers. I began researching on the internet. I found out that horses had been treated successfully and consulted two of my veterinarians for their opinions. Since they both knew her, they both thought ulcers were a high possibility. We discussed have her scoped, but both vets said that I should try a test treatment. After a few days, I saw a major change in my horse’s behavior within a few days.


Over the last decade, I have tried several different treatments. This means my horse's have been "Ginny pigs" for trying different medications and products. I have found most products that claim to help ulcers either have calcium and Omega 3 fats in them. If you are feeding a product, look at the INGREDIENTS. What are they? You may be paying a lot of money for things that don't help. It could be that the only one who thinks your horse needs those ingredients are the companies who are selling them.


Below is what I have found works best for my horse. I am amazed at the difference in her behavior. I do believe you need to use medication plus the correct foods to heal the ulcers.


TEST YOUR HORSE

http://youtu.be/Fr05hMmLCY4

Here is a video that might help too. Please check it out.


If you want to see if your horse has stomach problems, you can give it 1/2 cup of Mylanta (Calcium Carbonate) or 20 Tums 3 - 5 times per day for several days. If you see any type of changes, you need to treat your horse. It may or may not have ulcers, but a change means there are stomach problems.



Stomach Ulcer Research



(Please see Hind Gut section also)



According to the latest veterinarian studies, “Almost 60% of performance horses have ulcers. Up to 57% of foals have stomach ulcers, particularly during the first several months of life. Most of these horses and foals show no signs of illness.” (See www.horseadvice.com; “Gastric Ulcers in Horses,” by Robert N. Oglesby, DVM.) (“USDF Connections, Oct. 2003.)


"New research shows that stomach ulcers can occur within five days in horses exposed to recreational show conditions and activities. The study, reported in the September 1, 2005 issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) , indicated that seven out of 10 horses developed ulcers when exposed to normal situations related to weekend show travel. These included transportation, twice daily feeding, light exercise and stall confinement. Researchers and veterinarians have historically associated stomach ulcers with high-performance or racehorses. This new study shows just how easily horses can develop stomach ulcers in association with less-strenuous, recreational activities such as weekend horseshows or events. “The research demonstrated that conditions representing typical activities of the recreationally used horse are associated with an increased incidence of gastric ulcers within a short time period,” said Dr. Scott McClure, DVM, PhD, author of the study. “The findings reported should increase awareness that gastric ulcers affect a greater population of horses than previously thought.” The study included a total of 20 horses determined to be ulcer-free. Ten of the horses were exposed to conditions over the next five days that simulated a weekend horse show. This included four hours of transport to a secondary facility, three days of light training (thirty minutes of lunging twice per day), twice daily feeding, stall confinement and a four-hour trip back to the home facility. The other ten horses remained together in a paddock at the home location as a control group. All 20 horses underwent a second endoscopy on day five. Results showed that seven out of ten horses transported off-site had developed stomach ulcers within only five days. Furthermore, two of the control horses developed ulcers, possibly due to the change in herd dynamics after the first group was transported away. The research highlights just how easily horses can get stomach ulcers and the opportunity for proactive prevention.

Using Omeprazole can reduce the stomach acid being produced can heal reduce the ulcers.


Although proton-pump inhibitors such as Omeprazole are commonly prescribed for Equine Ulcers, a very serious and somewhat common repercussion is “Rebound Effect”. In the days after treatment, a surge in acid production may happen causing a significant drop in gastric pH and leaving the horse vulnerable to a new occurrence of ulcers repeating the cycle. Nutritionists and Veterinarians often recommend feeding a Digestive supplement either in combination with anti-ulcer medications or instead of (as a first effort) and continuing supplementation as long as the risk of ulcers persists. Looking back to a study published by Sykes, B.W. 2015; Prevention of Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) using Pharmaceutical drugs with Proton pump inhibitors will "Irreversibly Impair" the proton pump. EGUS healing rates ranged between 70-77% using a daily dose of Omeprazole for 28 days; only 70-80% of lesions were healed in that time period. The alarming finding for Omeprazole as a prophylactic is that 23% of horses experienced worse results. The study by Slovis, N. 2016; concluded that horses given the "All Natural" polysaccharide blend of Hyaluronan & Beta Glucan showed that 90% had "Complete Resolution" or "Improvement" in ulceration. In addition, improvements included morphological changes, behavior changes, weight gain and reduction of colic. The extensively studied ingredients in Gut X are a key piece to the puzzle that is your horse’s digestion. Proper support of bacterial balance is key to a healthy digestive system.



"There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that the more you can mimic the almost continuous natural grazing behavior of horses in the wild, the better," said study co-author Becky Hothersall, PhD, a researcher studying Equine Learning and Cognition at the University's School of Veterinary Science. The authors found horses fed more hay displayed generally quieter behavior, and fewer stereotypic behaviors (such as cribbing or weaving), compared to horses fed infrequent and large high-starch meals. "More time spent eating less nutrient-rich food is likely to fulfill your horse's instincts to forage, and may reduce digestive problems or blood sugar fluctuations associated with large meals," Hothersall said. The study noted that after a horse ingests a large, starchy meal, "the higher proportion of dry matter in the stomach contents slows the mixing of feed and gastric juice ... and can result in discomfort and even gastric colic."

Feeding grass hay 24/7 with a small amount of alfalfa hay will help reduce stomach ulcers.





Four steps to healing and controlling stomach ulcers:



I have found that you need a combination of science thru medications along with dietary changes in order to get rid of and continue to control ulcers.

It is important to understand that horses produce stomach acid 24/7, but these horses are producing excess stomach acid and you MUST CONTROL THE AMOUNT OF ACID in the stomach in order TO CONTROL THE DAMAGE TO THE STOMACH. Ulcers are a result of damage done to the upper lining in the stomach by acid. There are times you may need to use more, less, or none. Only by observing your horse and it's behavior you can make these decisions. You will need to monitor your horse on a daily basis. It's important to use the medication and feeds to heal the stomach and intestines. Healing takes several weeks, but you will see changes in behavior as soon as the body starts to heal.

Stress can come in many different forms. What a horse considers as stress, may seem like nothing to us. They only think in "herd" terms and small changes could make the difference between life and death to a wild horse. This is built into them. Horses take changes VERY seriously. It doesn't matter that we take care of them or they live securely in a barn. They still have basic "wild" instincts. Even if they seem calm, that could mean they are internalizing. Again, very common for an ulcer horse. So you may need to return to using full or 1/2 doses of Omeprazole during this times. After the stress has passed, you can try to return to maintenance doses for a few weeks. Your horse may be able to be Omeprazole free once the ulcers have healed. But remember, most horses get ulcers again, so you must keep a eye on them.

If you are going to take your horse "off" the property for training or show, you should return to full doses starting 4 days prior, during, and for a week after the experience. This is really the best way to keep the horse's ulcers from occurring.



1. Reduce the amount of acid in the stomach



The first part is to lessen and control the production of stomach acid. This is KEY to reducing and preventing new ones from occurring. Ulcer healing and prevention of getting new ones is all about controlling the production of stomach acid.


This is achieved by the using 2 medications and 1 product.

1.) The medication Omeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor which means it "restricts the amount of stomach acid produced, thereby protecting the lining of the stomach from excess acid exposure." (USDF Connection; Oct. 2003, pg. 27.) One reason this is the most effective means of treated ulcers is because it is effective for 24 hours. Because it works for a long period of time, the stomach can have enough time to heal itself. These medications need to be given full doses for 14 days to ensure adequate healing of the ulcer. Then you can cut that dose in 1/2 for 2 weeks, then down to 1/4 dose for 2 more weeks.

Please be aware that this medication does not shut down all of the acid producing pumps, just some of them. They will still have enough acid to digest their feed.


2.) The medication Sucralfate acts as a sort of liquid bandaid on the stomach lining which helps to protect any current ulcers from incurring damage.


3.) The product GutX by 100XEquine.com

"The study by Slovis, N. 2016; concluded that horses given the "All Natural" polysaccharide blend of Hyaluronan & Beta Glucan showed that 90% had "Complete Resolution" or "Improvement" in ulceration. Improvements included morphological changes, behavior changes, weight gain and reduction of colic."


I HIGHLY recommend:

Start your horse on full doses of Omeprazole, Sucralfate, and GutX ASAP.

1.) Use a full dose of Omeprazole for 2 weeks, then cut this dosage in half for 2 weeks, then down to 1/4 dose for another 2 weeks..

2.) Use full Sucralfate during those 6 weeks then over the following month you can reduce the dose by 1/2 and eventually stop it.

3.) Use 1 or 2 pumps of GutX during is time, then reduce to 1/2 pump am/pm as a maintaince dose. However, the horse should stay on the GutX indefinitely.



2. Absorb excess acid in the stomach



The second part is to absorb excess acid and coat the upper 1/3 of the stomach. This is done by using Tums, Maalox, Mylanta, U-Gard, or Neigh-Lox or their generic equitant . These all do the same job, absorb stomach acid. Although they work almost immediately, they only work for about 30 - 45 minutes. So using them alone will not give the horse's stomach enough time to heal itself. But they are very effective in reducing stomach pain quickly. It's also important to know that these products themselves will not make the horse to relax. They can help because the horse can be tense because it's stomach hurts.


Giving a little Alfalfa hay also helps as the Calcium is high. That's what absorbs the acid. Just be careful as it is also high in sugar.



3. Keep the stomach full of hay



This is a must for ulcer horses, especially before exercise. Horses produce stomach acid all the time since they are meant to be grazing most of the day. It is important to keep grass hay in front of them 24/7. You can also feed the some alfalfa hay as it is high in calcium which absorbs stomach acid. But be careful as it is high in sugar which can increase hotness.


Also I ALWAYS feed all my horses alfalfa pellets before I ride any horse. I put them in a bucket and let them eat while I tack up my horses. This will form a mush in the stomach which will help prevent stomach acid from splashing onto the top of the stomach while riding.



4. Foods that can help heal



There are a few foods that I believe have helped to heal my horse's stomach. I do use them all the time as maintenance.


The first is cabbage powder. This is full of the amino acid, L-Glutamine, that is proven to heal the stomach lining. I have found this to be the effective. You can get the dried cabbage at www.harmonyhousefoods.com Use a Tablespoon twice a day.


The second is raw pumpkin seeds (peeled/hulled). These are high in Nitric Oxide which the body uses to heal everything that needs healing. You can feed them dry or use pumpkin seed powder. I have found the pumpkin seeds to benefit all my horses (and myself and dogs). These little seeds contain amazing healing abilities. I have been amazed by the results. You can get them at www.bulkfoods.com or www.bulkwholefoods.com


Third, is to feed high Amounts of Omega 3's. I have found the best way is 1 cup flax seeds each day. They must be ground. I use a small coffee grinder. The oils from these seeds have been shown to heal the stomach.


Fourth is high amounts of natural Vitamin C which heal. Orange peel powder, Grape seeds Powder, and/or Green Tea powder are all high in Natural C.


Many also believe that the use of herbs, such as Slippery Elm, Marshmallow root, and Aloe Vera may also help soothe the stomach.




Here's a note on:



Buying Omeprazole



There are several ways of getting Omeprazole.

You can buy GastroGard from your vet or Ulcer Gard on-line or at the feed/tack store or Tractor Supply. This is the same company and the same dosage in a tube. It's just packaged and marketed differently. This is, however, the most expensive way to buy it.

I have found sources of generic of Omeprazole which are much cheaper. They come in several different forms. I have found NO difference by using any of these products versus the name brands. They are all effective treatment options. Some vets only want you to use the brand names, but Omeprazole is Omeprazole, no matter the source.


Source One: This is my source and they have the best prices available. I've used this company for over 15 years. They are reliable, trustworthy, and their products work great. You can get the Omeprazole in granulated packet's, paste, or tablets. The granules seem easy to add to your supplements. https://www.abler.com

You do not need a prescription. Just order it on line. It works great at a fraction of the cost of Gastro Gard.

*Abler sells one other product I use at the same time, Sucarafate. It acts like a kind of band-aid on the ulcers in the stomach. It works quite well. No matter what Omeprazole you decide to use, get this medication.


Source Two: You can get Omeprazole in a powder or paste from Precision Pharmacy . Your vet can call them at (877) 734-3338 or Fax at (661) 377-3334 or www.myprecisionpharmacy.com There are other compounding companies in the US too.


Source Three: You can always go to the drug store and by Prilosec OTC (generic is available). 140 tablets is a full dose 35 tablets is a maintenance dose. So you'd need 4 times that much for a full dose.

​



My Treatment and Feeding Program



The following are the foods and medication I give and why I feed them. You can use whatever want. I do believe the cabbage, oat flour, and pumpkin seeds are easy and are a must. As with all feed changes, you should take one to two weeks to work up to the suggested amounts. All my horses love these foods.


First 2 weeks each day:

Omeprazole Full dose

Sucrafate Full dose

1 or 2 pumps of GUTX am & pm

5-10 Tums or 1/4 cup Mylanta in 2 cups of Alfalfa pellets or 1/2 flake of Alfalfa

1/2 Cup of Oat Flour

Several cups of hay pellets before riding

Week 3 & 4 each day:

Omeprazole 1/2 dose

Sucrafate Full dose

1 pump of GUTX am & pm

5-10 Tums or 1/4 cup Mylanta in 2 cups of Alfalfa pellets or 1/2 flake of Alfalfa

1/4 cup Oat flour

Several cups of hay pellets before riding

Week 5 & 6 each day:

Omeprazole 1/4 dose

Sucrafate full dose

1 pump of GUTX am & pm

1/4 cup Oat flour

5-10 Tums or 1/4 cup Mylanta in 2 cups of Alfalfa pellets or 1/2 flake of Alfalfa

Several cups of hay pellets before riding


Afterwards: If your horse is doing well, stop the Omeprazole and cut the Sucralfate dose over the next month unless travel or weather warrant it.

Always use at least 1/2 pump am/pm of GutX and Tums/Mylanta/Alfalfa and oat flour.


Feed: Free choice grass hay 24/7

I feel the following are absolutely necessary to heal and maintain the stomach and hind gut:

I mix these with a few cups of hay pellets twice a day in a bucket:

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (heals everything including stomach)

1 Tablespoon Cabbage powder (L-Glutamine heals the stomach),

1 oz. Probiotics (aids digestion, I use Fast Track)

1/4 cup ground Flax seeds

In addition, you can use these calming foods for all horses, if you desire:

1 Tablespoon Brewer's Yeast (Vit. B),

Green Tea powder (L-Theanine)


I do not feed any grains. These are hard on the horse's stomach and extremely difficult to digest.

I also do NOT feed any vitamins/mineral supplements or concentrated feeds. Many studies of these have shown that most of these do NOT contain the amounts of supplements they CLAIM are in their feed. Currently, there is NO regulation for animal feeds and supplements to make sure the labels match what's inside. Plus most charge from 200% up to 500% of what it costs them to make and package these products. Basically, you are spending a lot of money on something that may or may not contain the labeled ingredients.


Shows: Increase to a full dose of Omeprazole at least four days before any show or traveling and continue this through the entire show and at least 1 week afterwards. I also add Sucarafate. I make sure the stomach is full of hay pellets before riding. Then, I may also give her 100 cc of Mylanta or 5 Tums right before mounting and before entering the arena. I feed GutX all the time. But you can double the dose for shows.



Ulcer Theories



There are a lot of theories about the causes of ulcers and how they should be treated. Although I agree with them, there is no guarantee that by doing these things, your horse will never have ulcers.


First, that horses need food in their gut 24/7. This is true. The bottom 2/3 of horse's stomach produces acid to help the digestion of food. However, the top 1/3 is not meant to have any acid on it. Because of that, this is where the ulcers occur. To help with this, it is recommended that you keep grass hay in front of your horse at all times. The reality is many horses with ulcers do not eat on a regular basis because their stomach hurts. Having the grass hay to munch on all the time will really help. If you board their horse, see if you can get grass hay in front of them at all times. Also, adding a flake of alfalfa hay at night is helpful as the Calcium helps absorb stomach acid.


At the 2003 conference of the American Association of Equine Practioners, ulcers were a major topic. One cause of ulcers is the mere act of exercising the horse without enough food in the gut. Studies have proven this by running a scope into the horse's stomach and then exercising them on a treadmill. The acid in their stomach did splash up to the top third of the stomach wall causing irritation. However, horses that had food in their gut had less problems as the food combined with the acid to form a paste. Thus there was less splashing. I have solved this problem by feeding my horse four cups of hay pellets while grooming and tacking her up.


Second, is that horses are meant to be outside rather than locked up in a stall. The reality for many horse owners is that they board and these faculties only have stalls. Also, although most horse owners do turn out their horses on a regular basis, some don't for fear that the horse may injure themselves while playing. It is also important to know that ulcers have been found in horses who are kept in a pasture, so this in itself, may not prevent ulcers.


Third is that reducing stress will cure and prevent ulcers. While keeping the horse as relaxed as possible is the goal of many riders, today's modern athlete has been bred to perform. These highly bred athletes tend to produce more acid than they actually need to digest their food. Many of them become nervous during work outs and/or competitions. Think of yourself when you get nervous. You may develop "butterflies in your stomach." This is actually caused because your stomach gets tight and starts producing acid. What do you do? You take something to help relieve the discomfort. This is the same for your horse.


Changes are also huge causes of stress for horses. These can be weather changes, especially in the winter. A storm could mean death to horses in the wild. Your horse reacts to storms the same way as a wild horse. Higher occurrences of ulcers are common in the winter. Changes in stabling can contribute to ulcers. This can include changes to you horse's stable mates which will affect your horse.


Fourth, is that ulcers are caused from the bacteria H. pylori. Although this can be true in people, there has been no evidence that this bacteria exists in horses.


One last note, if you think your horse might have stomach ulcers, it probably does. Don't wait. Do something about it today. Your horse will thank you and you'll both be happier.



Hind Gut Health and Colonic Ulcers



During his presentation at the 2005 American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Practice Management Seminar: Focus on Equine Colic, internationally recognized veterinarian Frank Andrews, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM, discussed the importance of recent research conducted by Franklin Pellegrini, DVM. Pellegrini’s work, published in the March issue of the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, sharply highlighted the previously unrecognized frequency and importance of colonic ulcers in horses. Pellegrini’s findings show that colonic ulceration may be present in up to 63% of performance horses, and 54% of performance horses may have both gastric and colonic ulcers. “Ulcers in the colon can be a significant cause of colic for many horses,” Andrews said. “Dr. Pellegrini’s research reveals just how many horses may be affected, but the trouble is that medications designed to work on stomach ulcers just don’t provide relief or treatment in the colon.” This suggests that an entirely different method of treatment is necessary to help with colonic ulcers than for stomach ulcers. He recognized probiotics and digestive aids as important tools in helping the many performance horses that may have colon pain. Polar lipids, present in oat fiber, were among the nutrients that Dr. Andrews presented as helping with overall digestive health. These components of oat oil help transport nutrients into the blood stream and support a healthy gut lining. Soluble oat fiber, which supports the immune system, amino acids and yeast extracts were also discussed as important nutrients.


YOUR HORSE PROBABLY DOES NOT HAVE A HEALTHY HIND GUT and may even have ulcers there.


Horses are "Hind Gut" digesters. They are nonruminant herbivores. The hind gut is designed to process plant materials by micro organisms (good bacteria) in the fore gut and then digest the food in the hind gut. That means, if the hind gut is not healthy, they are not getting all the nutrients from the food you are feeding them. By healing the hind gut, your horse will get more from it's feed, be healthier, perform better, and have less chances of colic.


There are things you can feed to help the hind gut and they are not expensive.


The first is by adding oat flour or oat fiber, not oats, to your horses daily feed. You can go to a local health food store and purchased Oat flour. Or you can order 50 lbs. of oat flour fromwww.Honeyvillegrain.com or ANY place that grinds grains for bakers. I recommend feeding 1/2 cup a day for 30 days, then 1/4 cup a day after that. It does take 30 - 90 days to see the results since the hind gut is about 24 feet long. You can use oat fiber (contains the hulls of the oats). I have tried both and they seem to work equally. The fiber is about twice as much in cost.


You should also add a Probiotic to you daily feed. There are several products out there that contain the good bacteria which your horse must have in order to digest the nutrients out of it's feed. Lactobacillus Acidophilus is one of the most common used. These good bacteria are destroyed by wormers, the use of Bute and/or Banamine, treatment of antibiotics, and stress. I highly recommend Fast Track. I feed 2 oz. per day. You can purchase that at FASTRACK Microbials for Horses and Dogs



Worming the Ulcer Horse


Worming the ulcer horse can be a bit tricky, but they must be wormed regularly. There are many different types of wormers and you should rotate them through out the year. Although the Ivermectin is very effective, I have found that it does seem to cause ulcer horse's some discomfort. I have had good success with Pyrantel pamoate and Fenbendazole. Just try to plan to worm during a time when there is less stress and know that you horse will need some time to get everything in it's system back in balance.


Pain Medication


If you have to use medication to control pain, know that Bute and Banamine are COX-1 and COX-2 inhibitors. While the COX-2 inhibits pain, the COX-1 interferes and damages the digestive system. Being on these medications for even 3 days can cause ulcers in a healthy horse. If you can, you should use a COX-2 only inhibitor such as Equinox or Previcox (for dogs).


Controlling Tension


Horses, as all animals, think in either Alpha brain waves (calm), or Beta waves (afraid/tense). The trick is to try and keep your horses thinking in the Alpha waves. This is accomplished by controlling the head level. A high headed horse is using in Beta waves. It is tense and wants to get away from whatever it feels is a danger. (With ulcers horses, this makes them want to get away from the pain in their own stomach.) By keeping the head at a lower level, the horse goes into Alpha waves and it can relax. If you can understand how they are thinking, you can help to try and keep them in Alpha waves. Eventually, this will help in reducing the cause of ulcers, the production of stomach acid.




In Conclusion



Sometimes people think their horse is having training difficulties, when if fact, the horse is in pain. I have found time and time again, if your horse cannot or will not do something that you think they should be able to do, PUT DOWN THE WHIP, GET OFF, AND START LOOKING FOR A PAIN ISSUE. It may not be easy to find and you need a good vet to help, but I assure you, once you find it, the horse will work willingly. It could be sore hocks, stifles, hooves, backs, ovulation in mares, TMJ, or ulcers. There are very few horses that are bad tempered. They usually want to please. Some horses have been in pain for so many years, they have lost all the joy that was once in their souls. Most of the time, the horse is as frustrated as the rider.


I have worked with many different breeds and in many different disciplines for over 30 years, and the more I ride the more I believe that horses will work through a tremendous amount of pain. They are kind animals who seek the approval of the head of the herd, the rider. But we, as horsemen and women, have a tremendous responsibility to our horses. We must really listen to our horses. They cannot talk to us with language, so they must speak with actions. If you were in pain, and someone was forcing you to do something that hurt, wouldn't you act out? Once you have looked for a pain issue first and are secure in the knowledge that there is no pain, then continue with the training.


Remember, a qualified Veterinarian is the best help for your horse. If you have any questions or would like to chat (see Luna Tunes page for contact information), I will be happy to help in anyway that I can, even if it's just sharing experiences. I have lived with my ulcer horse for 17 years. It's a way of life, but one that has taught me true horsemanship.


If you contact me via e-mail, please put "Ulcers" in the regards box. With all the viruses going around, I don't open e-mail that is not familiar or is about ulcers.​



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