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Written by: Jenna Tranter
Published on: 04/09/2025
Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome or EGUS, is a hot topic in the equine industry. Statistics are showing that over 90% of race horses and 60% of show horses suffer from gastric ulcers throughout their career. So what are the symptoms of EGUS and how do we help treat and prevent our horses from suffering with them? Lets take a little dive into the information.
EGUS occurs when lesions or ulceration of the stomach lining occurs due to prolonged exposure to stomach acid. The equine stomach is unique as it continually produces stomach acid unlike humans who only produce acid when eating. In addition only the lower portion of the horse's stomach produces buffering liquid to protect the stomach from excess acid. This means if your horse's stomach is empty, the gastric juices will ‘slosh’ back and forth across and up and down the stomach itself. Horses are designed to eat small amounts continuously all day and their gastrointestinal system is designed to accommodate this. The constant trickle of forage keeps the stomach acid ‘busy’ and stops it from ‘sloshing’ around. Squamous ulcers are ulcers found in the upper portion of the horse’s stomach and glandular ulcers are located in the bottom portion of the stomach. Ulcers can also occur in the colon. The type of ulcer, location of the ulcer, and grade of the ulcer will determine prognosis and treatment.
As equine husbandry changed over the last century, their digestive systems did not, and many horses today do not have access to forage 24/7.
Symptoms of EGUS are vast and can often be mistaken for many other equine problems and conditions. Some of the most common symptoms are:
Behavioural Changes: some horses can show an increased sensitivity to touch especially on their stomachs. They may express aggression, nervousness and anxiety.
Lack of appetite, Weight loss and poor body condition
Poor performance or decrease in performance during rides, lessons or competitions
Sensitivity to girthing
Poor hair and coat quality
Diarrhea
Cribbing or wood chewing as well as teeth grinding.
Recurrent colic episodes
These are some of the many symptoms that EGUS can produce- ultimately every horse owner knows their horses ‘normal’ behaviours better than anyone else. If you suspect your horse is exhibiting symptoms of EGUS you should contact your vet.
There are many things you can do beyond pharmaceuticals to help a horse that’s struggling with ulcers. It is widely accepted that feeding alfalfa will help increase calcium and protein levels in the stomach and aid in buffering gastric juices.
Researchers recommended feeding 1 pound of alfalfa to horses weighing 1,100-1,300 pounds after a grain meal because feeding grain, especially grains with higher nonstructural carbohydrate contents, lowers gastric pH, making the stomach more acidic. In addition to adding alfalfa to their diet, Smart Earth Camelina + is a natural choice for horses starting or ending an Omeprazole or Misoprostol treatment.
Our product is designed to soothe and aid the equine stomach and digestive system supporting overall gastrointestinal help. With a healthy dose of turmeric, alfalfa and camelina amongst other ingredients in our proprietary blend our product will help horse owners get out of the vicious cycle of equine ulcers for good. It will not only help stop ulcers from reappearing but will also help your horse through their recovery stimulating a healthy appetite, aiding weight gain, and reducing symptoms.
For the ultimate post ulcer treatment we suggest pairing Smart Earth Camelina+ with Smart Earth Camelina oil. Studies on corn oil have shown that “...oil supplementation may be an effective and inexpensive way to increase the protective properties of equine glandular gastric mucosa. This could be particularly helpful in reducing the chances of ulceration associated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) administration.” We know that there are way better options out there than corn oil and Smart Earth Camelina oil is happy to fill that role.
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Jenna is a lifelong equestrian and lover of all animals big and small. She has both studied and worked within the industry for 20+ years in both the feed sector as well as being a coach and hunter/jumper facility owner with time spent in the UK and Canada. She holds a number of equine certifications from universities in both countries. She also has completed numerous courses in equine body work, including equi-bow, but is not a practitioner at this time due to there just not being enough time in the day! Jenna lives on her farm in Ontario, Canada with her husband, 19 horses, 2 goats, a flock of ducks, a flock of chickens, her barn cats and her 3 loyal dogs, Bosco, Evaa & Eeyore.
