Happy Friday! I have a lesson recap, but I’m feeling really lazy this morning and will type that up later… so I’ll get that posted on Monday.
Anyway, Subi is finishing up 2 months of ulcer treatment (I went the nexium/Esomeprazole route) and it really seems to have helped. He’s inhaling his hay, finishing all his grain (except this morning when he didn’t eat breakfast but a neighbor’s dog was around so I think that had something to do with it), and generally just seems…better.
I am probably safe just to take him off once he’s finished, but I would like to put him on some sort of preventative. So, u-guard or something. Anything you like in particular? Suggestions appreciated! Inexpensive and palatable if possible…
So much happier these days!
Three Chestnuts 
I’ve seen some really good early studies/reviews coming from Purina outlast. It is just a grain topper. It is easy to feed with grain or as a snack before a stressful event. However, I have never personally tried it.
I agree with Emily. June is on outlast post ulcers and I really like it! She eats it up easily and it’s pretty inexpensive. I give it 2x a day
Do you find it still works feeding 2x vs the recommended 3-4x/day?
I do! I actually did it 1x a day for a bit, just giving it before I rode. Then I put her on a ration balancer and added it to that. I also give it before I trailer her. So, depending on the day, sometimes she gets it more than others. I think giving it to them prior to a “stressful event” whether that be riding or trailering or whatever, is really the key.
Thanks… It’s definitely been recommended, but it’s also fed at such a high volume. He gets so much food to hold weight that I’m not sure he’d eat that much more? Still, it’s something to explore!
I think it would only be a cup and a half for him? Not a scoop and a half. Again, definitely not an expert! just know this one has some research behind it.
https://www.purinamills.com/horse-feed/products/detail/purina-outlast-gastric-support-supplement
Oh I know. In the morning if I put too much feed (like an extra handful), he leaves the extra handful… Idiot horse. So, I’d just have to take a cup or so out of his grain to make it work, that’s all. He’s fine if he’s in at night because he can go back to his food over the course of the night. But he only has an hour and a half in the morning to eat breakfast (2 on weekends)….
Ah I get that. He might also hold weight better now that you got rid of the ulcers. I’m sure you’ll figure something out for him!
I really think the (suspected) ulcers were brought on my his stress from all the changes this winter plus worrying with eyesight and all that. His weight has been fabulous (thanks to overblanketing all winter), though he loses weight in the summer months with the heat. Either way, it’s something to consider! And knowing him, I may have to try 2 or 3 things before I find something he’ll eat consistently. Lol
My OTTB had AWFUL ulcers when we first got her off the track. Since then (and for the past two years), I’ve had her on TractGard – I started off with a bucket and then switched to SmartPak strips when I realized that people were overfeeding her the supplement. No ulcer or colic scares since!
I’ll look at TractGard too. I do my own feeding so I can stay consistent. Thanks! I’m pretty sure the combo of new barn/routine at home plus vision issues at night really stressed him out. He just seems… happier now.
My horse is on u-guard and he really likes it! It seems to be doing the job and keeping ulcers away. He eats all of it and doesn’t seem to notice it’s different from his normal grain, but he’s also one of the least picky horses I’ve met! I also give him half of a tube of gastro guard when he gets on a trailer because that’s pretty stressful for him!
I’ve been looking at u-guard so that’s an option. He’s picky, but he’s been eating everything lately as long as it’s mixed in his mash so…
One thing I would really suggest is a slow feeder or having the option to be eating all day. I think this was the true key to keeping June’s ulcers at bay
He has a hay net in his stall that he never quite empties (he won’t eat loose hay off the ground in his stall… idiot) and free choice hay in turnout so he has access to hay at all hours. Now, how much of the time he eats, no idea. He likes to spend a lot of his time staring off into space or gazing longingly into the distance, imagining the life he could have IF ONLY I’d open the gate into the lower field and let him eat/run around on grass…
I’ve been using Ulc-R-Aid from animed for a while now. I can’t say for sure that it works or not, but it seems to and it’s cheap.
I was looking at that one too. I like animed products and chewy sells it..
I don’t find Chewy’s prices to be very good. The 4lb tub is cheaper from RW, but I like to buy the 10lb tub from SCAHealth
If I stick with it, I’ll look at SCAHeath, but throwing it on my existing autoship made the price less than a $1 from RW plus I get everything next day from Chewy so convenience won out this time, lol. I’m sort of between this and the Purina product… I’ll try that if Subi won’t eat this and/or this doesn’t help.
What can I say, I was lazy and didn’t feel like going to the feed store today…
The outlast product is really promising and seems simple enough to feed. I was looking at using it pre trailering fro H’Appy but my local TSC doesn’t carry it and that made me mad so I forgot about the whole thing.
If it was the stress of moving and the ulcers are now cleared up he should be okay as long as he doesn’t go more than 3 hours on a empty stomach. Which I believe is his life set up. Aloe Vera gel/juice is supposed to be really good as well. I bought it from wal-mart and it’s very cheap.
That’s true, except, he only moved from the field 24/7 to the stall in the barn ON THE SAME PROPERTY WITH HIS FIELD MATES IN VIEW. Drastic change, yes, but honestly? Get over it. I’m thinking the bigger stress was his inability to cope with the walk in the dark and not being able to see as well as he thought he should be able to see. The cataracts are THAT big, but they’re there and likely are impacting him at night and he’s stupid (or “sensitive”) so… Right then. I want to just keep them from coming back. He would NOT touch the aloe vera years ago when Hayley was on it. But, I can try again.
After treating pretty bad ulcers for P in 2017, I put him on U-Shield (by Choice of Champions) as a daily preventative. He gets a double dose when he goes to shows and I give him 1/4 of UlcerGard when he travels. So far so good!