Ulcers seem to be more common now than they were, say, 15 years ago, but I would wager that we just didn't know what we were dealing with then. Ulcers are erosions of the stomach lining and they are usually painful.
Signs of ulcers can include reduced/ poor appetite, weight loss, dull skin and hair coat, attitude/behavior changes (especially when saddled), colic, reluctance to work, and impaired performance.
If you can see some of these signs in your horse, it may be wise to get a diagnosis. There are a couple of good ways to do that. First, you can have your vet run a gastroscopy (AKA "scope") down the horse's throat and to the stomach to literally see if there are ulcers in the stomach. It is possible to have ulcers in the hindgut though and those will not be visible with the "scope."
Another way to diagnose ulcers is with acupressure. This may be something that your vet can do or your CESMT (like me) or another natural health provider could be capable as well. You can check this link to get an idea of what this diagnosis technique involves.
Once you have determined that your horse is suffering from ulcers, or at risk for developing them, you have some changes to make. Ulcers have been determined to be caused by high-stress levels, seriously restricted grazing/ pasture time, and diets high in carbs.
First of all, it isn't always possible to completely eliminate our horse's stress- especially if they are highly competitive athletes that travel frequently. One thing you can do that will benefit your ulcer prone horse is to make sure they get plenty of turn out time. Horses are NOT meant to be stuck in a stall for hours at a time. They were built to be grazing freely and moving constantly throughout the day. Wild horses usually only rest for short periods in between grazing. Not only does the consistent grazing keep their digestive system moving (keeping natural buffers for the stomach lining healthy and strong), but it also plays a role in their circulation. It may not always be possible to provide extended turn out time even though it is ideal. If that is the case, the best thing you can do for your horse is to make sure that they don't go long without forage.
In addition to pasture time, changing how and what you feed can also help reduce your horses' stress level and improve their stomach health. The one thing that always seems to surprise people is to NOT feed your horses on a strict schedule.
This may seem counter-intuitive, but when your horses are used to being fed at the EXACT same time EVERY day, they experience extreme stress if you are late. In fact, you may have already noticed your horses standing at their gates and calling out to you and pawing the ground as they catch sight of you coming out to feed. Though it can seem cute to have them calling out to you, it is a stress response. If you are more flexible in your feed times you will find that your horses are still out in the field when you come out to feed and while some may run to their feeders, you will find others will calmly and casually make their way in. This also helps when there is something that prevents you from feeding "on time." None of your horses' will be panicking that you aren't there to feed them- they will not think twice if you are an hour later than usual.
One of the biggest contributors to ulcers is poor quality, high carb foods. Concentrates or grains are generally high carb and your horse's digestive system was not made to process them in high quantities. Again, if the horse is an athlete or a "work" horse, it may not seem possible to completely eliminate grains from your horses' diet. There are foods that you can incorporate to nurture the stomach and also, replace some of the grains your horse is consuming. First, alfalfa hay provides natural buffers for the stomach lining. Remember to avoid long periods without forage- going more than 6 hours in between meals has been shown to increase the prevalence of ulcers. Second, you can feed high-fat foods (think stabilized rice bran, raw pumpkin seeds, and flaxseed oil) to replace the carbs for energy and also protect the stomach lining. You can also feed raw cabbage and aloe vera juice to support a healthy digestive system in your horses. Third, make sure your horse ALWAYS has access to clean, fresh water (easy enough 😉).
Finally, if you use straw as bedding, you may need to reconsider- if your horse eats a sizable about of straw, they are adding to the formation of ulcers.
To recap- give your horse as much pasture time as possible. Make sure they always have water. Don't let them go long without forage- the more quality forage they get the less grain they will need. Supplement when necessary and add some flexibility to your feeding schedule.
Keep your vet in the loop as you treat your horse for ulcers- you may need help or more detailed guidance depending on the severity of the ulcers and the goal is to have happy, healthy horses- two heads are better than one 😀
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Interested in more information like this? Join my Happy Horse, Happy Life community on Facebook!
Originally Published In May of 2017.
Every mother deserves to be honored. It really doesn't matter what she has or hasn't done. Being a mother is not easy and honestly, the longer I am a mother, the more I learn about the complications that come along with motherhood. Especially when it comes to what and how much of life a mother shares with her child.
Every mother deserves to be honored. It really doesn't matter what she has or hasn't done. Being a mother is not easy and honestly, the longer I am a mother, the more I learn about the complications that come along with motherhood. Especially when it comes to what and how much of life a mother shares with her child.
In the last year, I have learned a lot from my mother about what her life was really like when I was a kid. I have been blessed to discover so much of what she was dealing with when I was growing up and how it has shaped me as a mother. It should be no surprise to my mother that I have the deepest respect and appreciation for the sacrifices that she made to protect me from as many hurts as possible and also the support she gave me that allowed me to form and chase my passions. I could not ask for anything more from my mother. And that is not because we had an easy life and a fantastic relationship. It is because she instilled in me a confidence that gave me the frame of mind that I knew I was and am capable of ANYTHING that I wish to pursue. I watched her struggle and was never quite grateful enough for everything she was going through to give me what I wanted- and she was patient enough and strong enough to endure my ungrateful attitudes because she knew that my world view didn't include all of the things she was constantly doing for me.
Mother's Day is not just a day that I celebrate my mother, grandmother, mother-in-law and several other human mothers in my life. There is also a special horse named Rompaway Ocala, that I think of every Mother's Day.
Several years ago, in typical spring fashion at our family's Standardbred racing farm, we were prepping for foaling. Ocala was in her late teens and due any day. She was extremely healthy and really did not show her age at all. As usual, there was an air of excitement and a divvying up of foal watch duty.
I received an early morning text that Ocala had foaled in the night and that my sister needed to be relieved of duty since she had been up all night with mom and baby. I was excited to get to the barn and to share such an exciting and beautiful surprise with my young daughter. When we arrived, we found a very beautiful baby and a very healthy mare. However, I also learned that the foal had not successfully stood on its own yet- and after being in this world for several hours, this was not good news.
My sister spent her evening milking the mare and feeding the foal, but something was wrong because the milk just came out of his poor little nose. I relieved my sister and took over trying to love life right into that foal. The vet came and went, doing everything he could to no avail. Everyone spent the day brainstorming and trying to help our new little colt stand and eat. Nothing we did helped. Ocala remained calm and let us help and work with her and baby into the afternoon.
Eventually, our tiny friend's body began to fail him. Within 24 hours of birth, he died. To say we were crushed and heartbroken doesn't seem to convey the magnitude of our dismay. My step-father and his friend (and fellow trainer/breeder) took the tractor out to the field to dig a small grave and Ocala continued to smell and nuzzle her baby's body. She was actually very calm considering. However, when the men came back to retrieve the foal, her real mom feelings began to show.
I will never forget the panic in her eyes as her colt was removed from her stall and she began to spin in circles and attempted to find a way out of the barn to her baby. Her screams are forever seared into my mind. I felt for her, from mother to mother.
Just a short time after we finished filling in the hole and I had explained to my daughter what had happened and why Ocala was so upset, we received a call from another breeder in the state that she had lost her mare shortly after she had delivered a strong and healthy foal. They were desperately searching for a mare that would be able to nurse this foal in order to not lose him too. In an effort to save the foal we loaded Ocala up within an hour or two of her loss for a several hour ship to the other farm where a new foal was scared, alone and hungry.
This was a risk. Not all mares will just allow another mare's foal to nurse from her and some will even attack another mare's foal. Ocala, however, is a mother through and through. Without hesitation, Ocala put aside her pain and loss and took in the orphaned foal as her own. This was such a relief and honestly, it is still awe-inspiring. Ocala demonstrated exactly what it is to be a mother- self-sacrificing and radiating unconditional love. I'm not sure I, or anyone I know, could have done what Ocala did at all, let alone with so much grace.
I am happy to report that Rompaway Ocala is now completely retired and enjoying life in a very green pasture- she has raised her many children well.
I started learning about essential oils to find out what they could do for my physical body and that of my husband and daughters. What I found was that essential oils are very powerful and can impact emotions as well as the physical body AND they can be used safely with my dogs, cats, and horses!! That's HUGE! The day after my Young Living Everyday Oils Starter kit arrived at my house, I brought home a 6-month-old lab-pitt mix puppy. His former family loved him but had recently received a serious medical diagnosis that would make it impossible to give our sweet pup (Ardy) an adequate home. When we arrived home, my oils were still spread out on the coffee table. Ardy was obviously stressed- he had just been picked up by a stranger and brought to a totally new place. I took him off the leash to let him explore and he quickly made his way to the coffee table. His little nose was basically attached to the bottle of Stress-Away essential oil on the edge of the table. He plopped right down and continued to deep breathe it- cap still on the bottle. Stress-Away, Peace and Calming, Valor (all 3 are in the Oils Starter Kit), and Trauma Life essential oils (and several others) are FANTASTIC for people and animals whether they are a little stressed or are feeling anxious. Another fabulous option is the CBD Calm Roller. I can't promise you that if you use these you (or your pet) will be cured of anxiety (so much plays into this!), but I can say that you will FEEL better 😉 When using oils with your dogs, remember that they are intelligent beings and they know what they like and don't like. Trust their instincts. Offer an oil before applying it to them- if they run away- that's a HARD NO 😂
Wearing an oil yourself or diffusing it is a great way to see if your dog likes it. REMEMBER that when you are diffusing around animals they need to have the option to leave the area with the diffuser and switch up what oils you diffuse regularly. Dogs and cats do not metabolize oils the same way that we do. For more info on cats and oils, check out this post by Lindsey Elmore: https://lindseyelmore.com/essential-oils-and-cats-are-they-all-doomed/ I personally choose not to apply oils to my cats, but they LOVE the diffuser (most of the time) and will nap right next to it when it's on.
We have "rescued" all three of our dogs from circumstances that were less than favorable and they have all come with their own needs and issues. Our oldest, Maggie (17 next month!!) loves Frankincense and other oils that offer her old body comfort. Our middle pup, Domino, has struggled with separation anxiety and still has bad days. Ardy has also struggled with separation anxiety. One of the best things I did for the boys is make a spray to apply to the beds before we leave. The spray is in a 2-ounce bottle half water and witch hazel (alcohol-free) and about 25 drops of Trauma Life essential oil. Something else to consider is how you may be unknowingly encouraging anxious behavior. Here is an article that really helped us when we first encountered separation anxiety: https://www.cesarsway.com/dealing-with-dog-separation-anxiety/ Good Luck ♥️
