Equine gastric ulcers are among the most common health conditions affecting horses, particularly those in training, competition, or intensive management. While treatment with medications such as omeprazole remains important, new research suggests there is much more to ulcer prevention and recovery than simply reducing stomach acid.

Modern horses live in conditions vastly different from those of their wild ancestors. While contemporary management practices are designed to support performance, convenience, and safety, they may also help explain why gastric ulcers have become one of the most common health problems in horses today.

Hunger is surprisingly difficult to recognise in horses. Unlike many animals, they cannot communicate when they are hungry, and their feeding behaviour doesn’t always reflect what we might expect. Ponies, of course, often seem like the exception; many appear to have an almost constant drive to eat.