A Guide To Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome With Kbis

WHAT TO FEED IF YOUR HORSE HAS EGUS?

If your horse has EGUS, look for feeds that display the BETA EGUS approval mark as these will help you to pick a suitable feed. Feeds such as RE-LEVE®-MIX, RE-LEVE®-CUBES and COMPETITION FIT BALANCER all display this logo but any high fibre, low starch feed is suitable. It is still important to remember your horse’s calorie requirements when feeding for gastric ulcers so ensure that the feed you pick is suitable for the level of work your horse is doing. It is also important to consider their calorie requirements as picking the wrong feed could lead to obesity issues, or an imbalanced diet being fed. Just because a feed doesn’t display the BETA EGUS mark doesn’t mean it isn’t suitable to be fed to a horse with ulcers such feeds as SUPER FIBRE CUBES, SHAPE-UP and ESSENTIAL BALANCER don’t carry the logo but are all cereal free feeds with a high fibre content and low starch level. This means that they are also suitable but are lower in calories when compared to RE-LEVE® so are better suited to good doers.

Again, its important to look at your horses’ forage intake, ideally ad-lib is the best way to feed but some horses with ulcers become fussy with their forage. In these cases, feeding a cafeteria style buffet can help to increase fibre intake whilst also extending eating times. Alternative forage sources such as chaff, dried grass, fibre cubes or grass nuts can be offered in buckets alongside the horse’s normal hay or haylage ration. This helps to encourage the horse to exhibit their natural browsing behaviours and helps to avoid forage related satiety.

Gastric supplements that offer a buffering action against the stomach acid can also help to support optimal pH in the stomach. Feeds that contain pre-biotics or live yeasts along with prebiotic or yeast supplements can help to support hindgut health.

There is some debate around feeding oil to horses with ulcers and what type of oil is best and its effectiveness. Saracen tend to recommend 40ml of corn oil twice a day to help prevent glandular ulceration through supporting the mucosal layer of the stomach.

Feeding a scoop of chaff 30 minutes before riding is also a great idea as this helps to absorb excess stomach acid which could splash onto the sensitive squamous region of the stomach, causing ulceration. Feeding an alfalfa chaff will provide extra benefits in the form of calcium which is a natural buffer to the stomach acid and the act of chewing encourages salvia production which further buffers stomach acid through the bicarbonate which is naturally found in saliva.

WHAT TO FEED WHILST YOUR HORSE IS RECOVERING FROM EGUS?

Feeding your horse whilst they are recovering from EGUS is very similar to the way they should be fed to prevent EGUS and also whilst they are being treated for EGUS. If your horse has lost weight due to suffering from ulcers, a higher calorie diet may be required to help encourage weight gain and the use of a supplement such as Equi-Jewel could be beneficial. This will help to add a concentrated source of calories whilst ensuring meal sizes remain small.

Your horse may also have backed off their forage so employing a cafeteria style of feeding could help to encourage them to eat more forage. Maybe consider the way the forage is presented as well, if they are finding it hard work to eat from a hay net, could you feed from the floor? Equally, if they are eating their forage very quickly, could you find a way to slow down intake, increasing eating time such as using a hay net with smaller holes or a slow feeder so that there aren’t periods of time when no forage is available.

If your horse has become fussy with their hard feed prior to EGUS diagnosis or during treatment, this will likely resolve when they are feeling more comfortable. However, palatable feeds such as RE-COVERY MASH can be added to their feed to help encourage them to tuck in better. RE-COVERY MASH is also ideal for hiding medication and as a high fibre mash. It helps to support optimal hydration status which reduces the risk of ulcers as dehydration has been identified as a risk factor in the development of EGUS.

HOW TO MAKE A CLAIM FOR EGUS?

The average claim paid by KBIS in 2021 for gastric ulcers was in excess of £2,000 for Leisure and Competition horses.

Gastric ulceration is a common condition suffered by horses and will need to be diagnosed by gastroscopy at grade 2 or above in order to meet Underwriters terms and a claim to be assessed and then paid. This enables premiums to remain lower, benefitting all policyholders.

The process of making a claim for gastric ulcers with KBIS is made simple:

1. Notify KBIS
2. Obtain a claim form (available to complete online or to download. Our team are also happy to post a copy out to you if required)
3. Collate all the necessary info – your claim form will specify what additional documents/information are required
4. Send everything in – sending everything in together also means your claim is assessed as promptly as possible

FEED FACTS

• Oatfeed is a high fibre ingredient which not only supports hindgut health, but oatfeed is also a great source of beta glucans which has a protective effect on gut membranes.
• Corn oil may reduce gastric output if supplemented daily, helping to support a healthy stomach environment.
• Horses listening to talk shows/talking radio were found to have a higher prevalence of EGUS, suggesting that this may cause stress.
• Saliva contains bicarbonate which is a natural buffer to the stomach acid. Increasing saliva production by encouraging chewing (feeding lots of fibre) will help to prevent EGUS.
• Feeding a scoop of chaff 30 minutes before riding will help to soak up any excess stomach acid, reducing the risk of ulcers occurring.
• You can work out the starch and sugar provided by your horse's feed by dividing the daily quantity of feed in grams (e.g., 2K = 2000g) by 100 and multiplying that by the combined sugar and starch content of their hard feed.

If you require any additional information about feeding your horse that is prone to ulcers please get in contact with our nutritional team on 01622 718487 or fill out our FEED ADVICE FORM.