Prevalence of ulcers of the squamous gastric mucosa in standardbred horses.
Authors: Roy Marie-Andrée, Vrins André, Beauchamp Guy, Doucet Michèle Y
Journal: Journal of veterinary internal medicine
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Squamous Gastric Ulceration in Standardbred Racehorses Gastric ulceration remains a significant health concern in performance horses, yet breed-specific and discipline-specific prevalence data remain limited. This longitudinal study tracked 48 Standardbred racehorses across three training facilities through their early training season, performing monthly gastroscopic examinations from the onset of training through their first qualifying race, with training intensity scored from jogging through intensive preparation. Squamous ulcer prevalence increased dramatically once training commenced: only 38% of horses presented with ulcers at baseline, but this rose significantly to 72–88% by months two through four (P = 0.002–0.04), with intensely trained horses showing substantially higher prevalence (93%) compared to those in light jogging programmes (56%). Moderate and intensive training regimens increased the odds of detecting more severe ulceration by 3.39 and 11.4 times respectively, whilst trotters demonstrated 2.17 times greater risk than pacers; ulceration concentrated along the lesser curvature and margo plicatus regions. These findings highlight that high-intensity training rapidly precipitates squamous ulceration in Standardbreds, suggesting that gait type and training load warrant careful consideration when designing conditioning programmes, and that prophylactic management strategies may be particularly warranted for trotter populations during the early training phase.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Expect squamous gastric ulcers to develop early in Standardbred racehorses during training; 72-88% prevalence by months 2-4 suggests this is nearly universal and not necessarily pathological at milder grades
- •Training intensity directly correlates with ulcer severity—horses in intensive training have 11-fold higher odds of significant ulcers than those doing light work, so gradual training progression may reduce severity
- •Trotters require closer monitoring or preventive strategies compared to pacers; consider gait-specific risk when developing training protocols and ulcer prevention programs
Key Findings
- •Prevalence of squamous ulcers increased from 38% at baseline to 72-88% between months 2-4 of training (P = 0.002-0.04)
- •Intensely trained horses had 93% ulcer prevalence versus 56% in joggers
- •Moderate and intensive training increased odds of ulcers with higher severity scores (OR 3.39 and 11.4 respectively)
- •Trotters showed higher predisposition to ulcers than pacers (OR 2.17), with lesions concentrated along the lesser curvature and margo plicatus