Horse with Grade 3-4 Gastric Ulcers... Advice needed pls!

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eillim13

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Hi,
My horse was diagnosed with grade 3-4 gastric ulcers 3 weeks ago & is on 3 meds incl gastrogard to hopefully get rid of them.

I have been using net to research & keep coming across horse living on its own being poss contributing factor. Mine has been stabled & grazing on its own (sheep/cows occ or in nxt field) since June last year & appears settled but I am now worried that really she isn't happy?! If another horse is in with her she latches onto them & becomes clingy... Knowing what I now know I wonder if she would be better on a yard with lots of others so she has company but not 1:1.

Can Anyone relate to this? Or had similar dilemma?

Thanks
 
There have been many a thread on this topic of company and there is a split opinion. Horses are herd animals and no doubt crave equine company. I personally would not keep a horse alone.
 
You said it all - if you put her with another she latches on to them. She is desperate for a friend (horses are herd animals and it is very, very rare to find one that is genuinely happy completely alone with no other horses in sight etc...).

If she was mine I would look for a yard with herd turnout, preferably 24/7 all year grass livery. However daily turnout for several hours with friends would be OK. You will need to try to keep her constantly trickle feeding (no running out of forage for long periods of time) and stress free.

I feel for you as I lost my old mare due colic caused by bleeding ulcers and she was managed so carefully (always out with friends, ad lib hay in the winter, stress kept to a minimum etc...).
 
Faracat said:
You said it all - if you put her with another she latches on to them. She is desperate for a friend (horses are herd animals and it is very, very rare to find one that is genuinely happy completely alone with no other horses in sight etc...).

If she was mine I would look for a yard with herd turnout, preferably 24/7 all year grass livery. However daily turnout for several hours with friends would be OK. You will need to try to keep her constantly trickle feeding (no running out of forage for long periods of time) and stress free.

I feel for you as I lost my old mare due colic caused by bleeding ulcers and she was managed so carefully (always out with friends, ad lib hay in the winter, stress kept to a minimum etc...).
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Thanks. Yes you're right bout her latching onto others. Prob I've got is when I give her a friend where she lives at mo she can't then be stabled with them due to stable layout.
I wish finding herd turnout was easy... She likes being out & hasn't been restricted food wise with me but she came from p2p yard when I got her so its likely they started then.

I will investigate turnout/moving her.
 
Mine was an ex-racer too. She used to shake if you took her into the yard because she was so worried about being stabled. She lived out in all weather happily and only came down to the yard (with the other horses) when the farrier came.

So my question is... do you need to stable her? Could you keep her at your place with a friend, out 24/7?
 
Faracat said:
Mine was an ex-racer too. She used to shake if you took her into the yard because she was so worried about being stabled. She lived out in all weather happily and only came down to the yard (with the other horses) when the farrier came.

So my question is... do you need to stable her? Could you keep her at your place with a friend, out 24/7?
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Yes I do coz it's my inlaws farm & field she has in winter is v v wet. They have two horses (hunters) but both geldings & they are stabled together in seperate part of farm. So I'm bit stuck. There's a 8x10 ft box nxt to mine that I use for storage but i really don't think I'd be allowed a small pony. It's just churning up field that's prob.
Grrrr....
 
I think you either need to see if they would let you have a companion pony (state that it is for health reasons) and use the 8 x 10 box for the companion, or find a livery yard.
 
Faracat said:
I think you either need to see if they would let you have a companion pony (state that it is for health reasons) and use the 8 x 10 box for the companion, or find a livery yard.
Click to expand...

Yep you're right & that's what I was beginning to suss out myself. I will investigate my options, thankfully there is 2 livery yards within 5 miles of farm. Just gonna be more expensive but it would mean I have happier horse & could ride in winter!!
 
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