Prevalence of gastric ulcer syndrome in high-level endurance horses.
Authors: Tamzali Y, Marguet C, Priymenko N, Lyazrhi F
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Gastric Ulcer Syndrome in High-Level Endurance Horses Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) has been well documented in racehorses but remained poorly characterised in endurance competition horses; Tamzali and colleagues addressed this gap by performing paired gastroscopic examinations on thirty high-level endurance competitors, once during the off-season and again within 2–3 days of a 90–160 km competitive ride. The prevalence of squamous gastric ulcers nearly doubled from 48% during the interseason period to 93% during the competition season (P = 0.001), with mean severity scores increasing from 0.85 to 1.60 on a four-point scale, and notably, one-third of affected horses also presented glandular lesions. Housing conditions and starch intake emerged as significant variables: horses kept entirely on pasture developed more severe gastric lesions (mean score 2.14) than those in mixed stable-and-pasture systems (mean score 1.43), despite both groups receiving grain supplements—an observation attributed to the higher daily starch consumption in the full-pasture cohort. For practitioners managing endurance horses, these findings suggest EGUS prevalence in this discipline rivals that of racing populations, warranting gastroscopic screening and careful attention to training load, starch intake, and housing arrangements when investigating poor performance or nonspecific malaise.
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Practical Takeaways
- •EGUS should be considered as a potential cause of poor performance in high-level endurance horses, particularly during competition seasons when prevalence reaches 93%
- •Housing management matters: horses kept entirely on pasture with high grain supplementation show significantly worse gastric lesions than those with mixed stabling and pasture; consider reducing starch intake or changing housing systems
- •Veterinarians working with endurance horses should include gastroscopic examination in their diagnostic protocol for performance issues, especially within 2-3 days following long rides
Key Findings
- •EGUS prevalence increased from 48% during interseason to 93% during competition season in high-level endurance horses (P = 0.001)
- •Mean gastric ulcer scores increased significantly from 0.85 ± 0.13 interseason to 1.60 ± 1.15 during competition (P = 0.001)
- •Horses kept on pasture showed significantly higher ulcer scores (2.14 ± 0.14) compared to mixed housing (1.43 ± 0.17), potentially due to higher daily starch intake (P = 0.002)
- •EGUS prevalence in high-level endurance horses is comparable to racing horses, with training intensity and performance level significantly influencing gastric scores (P = 0.038)