Gastric ulcers in horses: could your horse be showing the signs?
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Read time 6 min
Could your horse have gastric ulcers? Signs to look out for...
Every horse tells a slightly different story when their gut isn't quite right. Some signs are obvious; others are small physical changes that are easy to write off as diet, weather, or "just one of those things."
None of these signs alone confirm gastric ulcers or another digestive problem, but knowing what's genuinely normal, and what isn't, can help you decide when to review management or call your vet.
Any horse showing signs of discomfort should be taken seriously, particularly when their behaviour has changed suddenly or noticeably. These signs can have many possible causes, so we always recommend speaking to your vet to help identify and address the underlying cause.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Changes in droppings can indicate digestive disruption
Changes in behaviour or temperament may signal discomfort
Picky eating may be a sign of gut discomfort
Unexplained weight or topline loss is worth investigating
Subtle, recurring colic-like signs shouldn’t be ignored
Several subtle changes together may indicate a bigger problem
Changes in droppings
Have you noticed your horse's droppings looking looser, drier, or simply different to normal?
What's normal: Healthy droppings form separate, walnut-to-tennis-ball-sized balls that hold their shape but break apart easily when pressed, coloured greenish to golden-brown, moist rather than wet or dry, with a mild grassy smell. Most horses pass droppings six to ten times a day.
When to take note: Hard, crumbly balls can signal dehydration or impaction risk. Loose, watery droppings usually mean the fibre-fermenting bacteria in the hindgut have been disrupted, often by a rush of starch or sugar dropping the hindgut's pH (hindgut acidosis), so they can no longer process fibre properly. A mucus coating means the gut lining is producing extra protective secretion in response to irritation somewhere in the hindgut. Dark, tarry or blood-streaked droppings need a same-day vet call, as this can point to bleeding higher up the digestive tract.
Supporting a healthy hindgut bacterial balance is part of why balancers like Ulsa-Cool include prebiotics (MOS), live yeast and beta-glucans, alongside natural marine minerals to help maintain a healthy stomach environment further up the digestive tract.
Supporting Your Horse Through Their Diet
Good nutritional management can help support digestive health, alongside veterinary care.
- Plenty of forage – keep fibre available and avoid long gaps without it.
- Appropriate meals – feed according to your horse's individual needs.
- Quality nutrition – a feed balancer provides essential vitamins, minerals and protein without large feed quantities.
- Blue Chip Ulsa-Cool – combines marine minerals, prebiotics, live yeast and beta-glucans to support digestive health.
Gut noises that don't sound right
Rest an ear against the flank on both sides after feeding. A settled horse produces gurgles and rumbles roughly every 30 to 60 seconds.Â
Several minutes of silence usually means the muscular contractions that move food along (peristalsis) have slowed, often because pain elsewhere in the gut causes the whole system to temporarily quieten down, one reason vets treat reduced gut sounds seriously as an early sign of colic.
Continuous, splashing sounds usually mean gas or fluid is building up faster than normal, often because bacteria are fermenting more feed than usual in the hindgut.
Either change is worth mentioning to your vet.
Tip: If your horse is sensitive, groom them gently and, where it’s safe to do so, rest your ear close to their flank to listen for gut sounds.
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Picky or selective eating
Has your horse gone from cleaning up every mouthful to leaving feed or picking through it?Â
This is one of the most common, and most easily dismissed, signs of digestive discomfort, sorting through feed, ignoring hard feed but eating hay (or vice versa), or taking far longer over meals than usual. This often comes down to timing: the stomach produces acid more or less continuously, and its upper portion has very little natural protection against it. When that area is inflamed, acid splashing onto it as the horse moves or eats can make mealtimes genuinely uncomfortable, particularly first thing in the morning after a long, empty overnight stretch.
It's also worth telling this apart from quidding, where a horse drops chewed, damp hay balls rather than swallowing, which usually points to a dental issue rather than the gut.
A fresh, palatable balancer can help here too: Ulsa-Cool's botanical blend of spearmint, eucalyptus and menthol is designed to tempt even fussy feeders, alongside alfalfa, rosemary and garlic to support general wellbeing.
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Weight loss or falling out of condition
Run a hand along the ribs, back and hindquarters every couple of weeks and score what you feel on a simple body condition scale.Â
Dropping a full point or more over a few weeks, without an obvious cause, is worth investigating. This usually isn't about the horse eating less, though that can play a part, it's more often because inflammation in the gut lining reduces how efficiently nutrients are absorbed, so a horse can be eating a perfectly adequate diet and still fail to make proper use of it.
A concentrated balancer providing a complete profile of vitamins, minerals and amino acids, such as Ulsa-Cool, can help support condition without adding unnecessary bulk or calories to the diet.
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A duller coat and loss of topline
A normal seasonal coat change is different to one that stays dull or "staring" regardless of grooming or rugging. Coat and muscle condition are often among the first things to suffer when nutrient absorption drops, since the body prioritises essential functions over things like coat shine, and will gradually draw on muscle, including topline, for energy if the diet isn't being converted efficiently.Â
Topline loss is easiest to spot from behind or above, as a dip either side of the spine.
Mild, recurring colic-like episodes
Watch for repeated pawing, turning to nip at their own flank, stretching as if to urinate without doing so, lying down and getting up more than once, or unusual sweating that doesn't match the weather or workload. These episodes are usually a sign of visceral pain, discomfort from inside the gut wall itself rather than the skin or muscles, which often drives a horse to shift position or posture repeatedly in an attempt to ease the sensation. Any one sign alone may be nothing, but a cluster together, even if brief, is worth a call to your vet.
When to call the vet
Contact your vet promptly for signs of colic, no droppings for an extended period, sudden and significant weight loss, or a rapid drop in appetite. If you're ever concerned your horse may be showing signs of gastric ulcers, veterinary advice should always come first, alongside the management and nutritional support that can help keep their gut comfortable day to day.
Frequently Asked Questions
What colour and how often should healthy horse droppings be?
Greenish to golden-brown and fairly uniform, passed six to ten times a day for most horses on a forage-based diet. Pale, grey, black, tarry or blood-streaked droppings, or a marked drop in frequency, warrant a vet call.
What are the first signs of gastric ulcers in horses?
Early signs can include girthiness, a reduced or picky appetite, mild weight loss, a duller coat and subtle changes in attitude or performance. These can also relate to other conditions, so veterinary diagnosis is the only way to confirm ulcers.
Not always, but horses working with an empty stomach (particularly during canter, jumping or faster work) may be more susceptible to acid splash if they're prone to gastric ulcers.
Is picky eating a sign of gastric ulcers in horses?
It can be. Horses with gastric discomfort often become more selective, leaving hard feed or taking much longer over meals. On its own this doesn't confirm ulcers, but combined with other signs, it's worth discussing with your vet.
Can gut problems cause weight loss in horses?
Yes. If the gut isn't absorbing nutrients efficiently, a horse can lose weight or fail to hold condition even on a seemingly adequate diet, which is why unexplained weight loss should always be investigated.
When should I call the vet about my horse's digestion?
Contact your vet promptly for colic, no droppings, a sudden appetite drop, or rapid weight loss. If several ulcer signs appear together, it's worth asking about gastroscopy, where a camera is passed into the stomach, since this is currently the only way to confirm ulcers and how severe they are.
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Written by: Laura Cackett
Managing Director at Blue Chip and has over 25 years’ experience in the equestrian industry. Passionate about horse welfare and nutrition. She enjoys sharing her knowledge and expertise to help horse owners make informed feeding decisions.
