12/19/2025
🐴💡Fun Fact Friday: Understanding Hind Gut Ulcers in Horses, A Hidden Health Concern 💡🐴
While most horse owners are familiar with gastric ulcers, did you know that hind gut ulcers can also affect your horse’s health, often causing discomfort, pain, and behavioral changes? Hind gut ulcers are a serious but often overlooked condition that can impact your horse’s overall well-being.
Hind gut ulcers affect the large intestine or cecum and are often overlooked compared to stomach ulcers. They can cause pain, digestive issues, behavior changes, and decreased performance, and are harder to diagnose without a vet.
Common Signs:
•Irritability or behavior changes
•Poor appetite or weight loss
•Mild colic, bloating, or loose stools
•Decreased performance or reluctance to work
Main Causes:
•High-grain, high-starch diets
•Stress (travel, showing, routine changes)
•Inconsistent feeding schedules
•Certain medications or antibiotics
Diagnosis & Treatment:
•Diagnosed by a veterinarian using exams, f***l tests, ultrasound, or colonoscopy
•Managed with high-fiber/low-starch diets, medications, probiotics, and stress reduction
Prevention Tips:
•Feed consistent forage throughout the day
•Limit grain intake
•Provide turnout and grazing time
•Reduce stress and maintain a steady routine
Bottom Line:
•Early detection, proper diet, and consistent management are key to keeping your horse’s hind gut healthy and your horse comfortable and performing well.
