Best supplement to prevent ulcers?

:) I appreciate that you are trying to work on a problem before it every actually occurs - HOORAY to you! :)

I have worked with both U-Guard and Neigh-Lox and have been happy with both.

Just a little background here (becuase every situation is different) I was using these supplements for a mare that was a consistent cribber and had ulcers. Her ulcers had caused her to have minor colics regularly (every 6-8 weeks) and eventually led to colic surgery. (Just FYI these problems were before I purchased her). I was recommended U-Guard from a horse owner I know and Neigh-Lox from a trainer i know.

I used the Neigh-Lox on a horse I had that was always difficult to keep weight on and it did wonders. However (MY experience, not everyones) when I gave it to my ulcer horse I saw no difference. Then I tried the U-guard and I feel like there was an improvement in her comfort level.

I spoke with me vet specifically about the U-guard and this is her response: U-guard works by adding calcium to their diet. Calcium coats their stomach and protects it from ulcer-causing acid. However, the amount of calcium in U-guard - in comparison to the overall size of a horse - is VERY low. No actualy test have been done... But her best guess is that the calcium only protects the stomach for about an hour or so. SO if you are worried about ulcers due to diet (ex: high amounts of grain, or stressful anxiety at feeding time) then U-guard will probably help... If you are worried about ulcers due to lifestyle or training it will probably have very little effect. Beacuse my mare did most of her cribbing at feeding time it made sense that I saw an improvement.

My vet continued by stating that feeding a hay with more alf-alfa in it (which is high in calcium) you will also be helping your horse. Especially if you can feed that hay throughout the day in smaller meals. We used to feed T&A or straight Timothy hay and only in 3 meals a day. We now feed only T&A or straight alf-alfa and we feed it 5 times a day (same amount each day, just broken up into smaller meals). We have seen a BIG improvement in the weight, glossy-ness and overall attitudes of nearly every horse in our barn!

Finally, my vet STRONGLY recommends using UlcerGuard to ANY horse when in a high-stress environment. So any horse that goes to a horse show, high-impact training or goes on trial (to be sold) we give them UlcerGuard. This is a paste much like a dewormer that is given daily throughout the stressful situation.

I hope that this helps you :) Be sure you discuss this in detail with your instructor and vet. Instructors DO know what is going on - and they should have a very good idea of your horse's personality, schedule and training level. Also, your vet will have detailed knowledge of your horse's medical history and your geographical requirements.

Good Luck! :)

Hmm.. this is kind of hard to say. If he was my horse, I might give him the supplements for maybe about six months, because usually those supplements prevent ulcers, and they also treat them. Obviously he doesn't need the prevention as much as the treatment, because of his laid back lifestyle now. But when he was on the track and he raced for so long, he might have some that could affect him in the long run. It's hard to say, though. If you are willing to spend the money, the vets are usually able to go in and look with their little scope to see if there are any ulcers in his stomach that will actually affect him. That might be a good idea, just so you don't go out and spend the money that you might not have to. I wish you luck with him! He sounds like a nice, calm boy!

There is not much gray area in this. Your trainer liking U guard pellets means virtually nothing unless your trainer is a veterinarian and at the very least keeps up on medical research. A horse trainer has no way of medically evaluating a product like U guard for efficacy.

There is the scientifically proven fact that feeding hay 24/7 prevents ulcers by causing secretion of bicarb into saliva. and increasing saliva production which buffers gastric acids. A portion of the hay being alfalfa adds to the buffering effect and is recommended if there is no problem with protein tolerance or metabolism in an individual horse. And, there is gastro-guard which is sometimes used preventively. Nothing else I've read of in the research is currentlyscientifically tested and proven, or veterinary recommended. Horse supplements are unregulated and any crap they want to sell you and any lies they print about them are all over the internet and not yet legally prohibited, so it is buyer beware. Never feed your horse anything that isn't approved by legitimate scientific research and with your vet's approval. When you do, you are throwing your money away and may harm your horse.

What else could you do to reduce the "high stress" of your horse's environment???? If you are smart, you will talk to your vet, not your trainer, regarding issues of medical management of your horse. To think that a supplement will undo the damage of a stressful lifestyle is as misguided as thinking that bandaging legs will compensate for a lack of conditioning. It just doesn't work that way.

Edit...I am not calling you stupid by saying "if you are smart you will.....etc..". I am sharing information that is aimed at helping you to make a decision. Until I answered your question, you didn't mention any intention of consulting with a vet....and only gave your trainer as the resource for your information and inquiry. In fact, most of what you now have out there was missing when I read your question. So, for the waste of my time spent answering your question, you're welcome . And next time, just ask your vet in the first place.

I find Neigh-lox to be a better product, a bit more expensive though. I have an OTTB that tends to be a bit nervous does well with it. This will help heal damage, and prevent future issues.