Riding the horse after Ulcer treatment

[Rosie Round The Hills]

Hello all. I have never had a horse with ulcers before and so am wanting some shared experiences please. My horse was diagnosed with foregut ulcers just over three weeks ago and has been on omeprazol since then. First on 20ml for four weeks, and then on 10ml for four weeks.

I want to start working him again starting with groundwork and then getting back on board. Yesterday I worked him in the round pen and he seemed absolutely fine until I got on him. Tail swishing, unwillingness to go forward.

What I have no idea of is how long it takes for ulcers to be healed? And how will I know if he still has ulcer pain, or whether he is just practising what he learnt when he WAS in pain and discovered that certain behaviours would get me to stop working and get off?

For your info, he is out on pasture 24/7 and is fed only a general supplement and now an ulcer supplement.

Thank you for your thoughts.

 

[catembi]

Mine was the same & turned out to have KS as well. Now recovering from KS surgery, so we shall see where we are after rehab.

It's soooooo frustrating, isn't it!

T x

 

[Michen]

You MUST re scope to make sure the ulcers are gone. There is no set amount of time that ulcers will go in with omeprazole. My horses symptoms went but he still had grade 4 after eight weeks of gastroguard. Surprised your vet has not said about re scoping. Re scoping is how you know whether he's still in pain or not.

 

[Rosie Round The Hills]

Okay, thank you both. Sigh - I must then employ my patience button.

 

[Tangaroo]

My boy started with those symptoms in february. He would plant out hacking as well as in the school. He had a course of gastrogard but didnt get better. Its been a very long road but i can now hack him happily without planting! I eventually turned him away with a second course of GG as my vet took him off it too soon the first time. Ive also got him on Gut balancer for his hindgut and settelex. The other thing that im sure has helped him is Bowen therapy.
I havent ridden him in the school yet and i dont intend to for a while. I just want him to hack and have fun to try and forget it all. I wish the vet had told me this could all take months to sort rather than the 2 weeks they originally said!

 

[JoClark]

Has all the typical stuff been checked? Teeth, saddle etc.
It generally takes about 4 weeks however depends on the horse, if there's pain then there not likely to go.
Could possibly be intollerant to certain foods.

 

[mega spoilt ponies]

My horses grade 4 took a whole year to heal with everything we could throw at it(omeprazole, ranitidine, sucralfate, antibiotics, supplements). You need to scope clear and in my experience working them only delays healing