The 12 Best Oils For Horses With Ulcers
In the world of equine health, one challenge that often trots into the spotlight is gastric ulcers. These troublesome tummy woes can affect all horses.
But, how do you solve this problem?
From my own experience, I’ve gathered the best remedies to use for treating and preventing gastric ulcers. You’re in for a real treat with my top 12 list, that’s for sure.
Whether you’re feeding corn oil or cold-pressured linseed oil to your companion, these marvellous elixirs are bound to have your horse back up and running in no time!
1. Rice Bran Oil
Rice bran oil is great to use for equine gastric ulcers. Its natural formula is rich in nutrients and is known to combat the symptoms of gastric acid secretion. While rice bran oil is high in starch and sugar, the oil is low in non-structural carbohydrates, making it a good option for metabolic horses.
2. Lubrisolve Linseed Oil 100% Pure
- Price: £16.99
- Size: 2 L
- Blend: Cold-pressed linseed oil
Lubrisolve’s 100% pure dietary oils are safe to use to treat horses suffering from stomach ulcers. Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, they help support immune function and healthy skin. They’re also known to improve coat conditions, too! What a bonus!
3. AniMed Wheat Germ Oil Blend
- Price: £26.50
- Size: 3.7 L
- Blend: Wheat germ, essential fatty acids, vitamins A, D and E
An oil-based feed supplement rich in essential fatty acids is the way to go if you’re looking to treat horses who suffer from gastric ulcers.
Wheat germ is a natural source of these nutrients and is rich in vitamins A, D and E. This product can also be used periodically to prevent equine gastric ulcers.
4. Uckele Health Cocosoya
- Price: £32
- Size: 3.8 L
- Blend: Cold-pressed linseed oil, coconut oil, omega-3, 6 and 9 fatty acids
Opt for Uckele Health Cocosoya when treating equine gastric fluid acid secretion (i.e. stomach ulcers). This product is packed with anti-inflammatory goodness like flaxseed (linseed) and coconut oils. The essential fatty acids, like omega 3, 6 and 9, also help to improve nutrient absorption!
Available in 5-, 10- and 20-liter sizes; this is certainly one of the best dietary oils money can buy!
5. DAC Oil
- Price: £33.80
- Size: 3.4 L
- Blend: Vegetable (corn) oil, flaxseed oil, fish (omega) oil, vitamin E
Do you want to treat horses with gastric ulcers? Then try out DAC Oil’s dietary corn oil supplementation product. It has a 98% fat content and is full of all the good stuff – a brilliant product to use for reducing (and preventing) equine gastric ulcers.
6. TRM Curragh Carron Oil
- Price: £41.20
- Size: 4.5 L
- Blend: Omega 3 fatty acids, cold-pressed linseed oil, calcium
Carron oil is known to help with wound healing, including the dreaded stomach ulcer, and is a great product to use. Rich in omega-3 fatty acids (and other oil-based nutrients), this feeding oil is a top-notch choice to go with.
7. McCauley’s Rice Bran Oil
- Price: £46
- Size: 3.8 L
- Blend: Crude rice bran oil
McCauley’s Refined Rice Bran Oil is packed with antioxidants, like vitamin E, and is a natural source of gamma-oryzanol – the stuff that fights acid secretion which causes equine stomach ulcers!
Top tip: It’s also good to use for horses who are unable (or unwilling!) to gain weight.
8. AniMed Natural Rice Bran Oil
- Price: £61.50
- Size: 3.8 L
- Blend: Crude rice bran oil
This 100% pure crude rice bran oil product is excellent for treating equine gastric ulcers and can be used periodically as a preventive measure.
It has a high vitamin E content – a great antioxidant by the way! – and is packed with loads of minerals, nutrients and essential fatty acids. Don’t let your poor four-legged buddy suffer in pain anymore; opt for AniMed’s Natural Rice Bran Oil!
Side note: Want your horse to maintain weight? This product is perfect for that too!
Best Digestive Support Supplements
Feeding horses oils can sometimes be a challenge. If you simply can’t feed corn oil to your horse – or if they don’t like oil-based supplements in general – consider going for a powdered option instead.
I’ve added a list below of powder-based alternatives which can help in reducing gastric ulcers for your equine bestie.
1. Best Natural Treatment For Gastric Ulcers: Natural Digestive Support
- Price: £70
- Size: 1 kg or 5 kg
- Type: Powder
This non-GMO, sugar-free, food-safe natural gut cleaner is the product you’ve been looking for! It contains marine trace minerals and is 100% safe for horses. It’s excellent to use for treating (and preventing) gastric acid secretion in horses.
2. Best Ulcer Prevention Support: UlcerGard
- Price: £34.60
- Size: 4 syringe doses
- Type: Paste
UlcerGard is a non-prescription, FDA-approved product used in preventing equine gastric ulcers. It’s a cinnamon-flavoured paste – which your horse will love! – and comes in four nifty single-serving syringes. All you need to do is squirt the paste into your horse’s mouth when ulcer symptoms start and Bob’s your uncle!
The active ingredient, omeprazole, reduces gastric acid secretion and helps alleviate the pain.
3. Best Powder Treatment: AniMed Brewers Yeast
- Price: £16.50
- Size: 1 kg
- Type: Powder
Brewer’s yeast is a natural source of amino acids and is rich in vitamin B-Complex. It’s known to help support good gut health in horses. Consider adding some of this to your horse’s daily routine and keep those pesky gastric ulcers at bay!
4. Best Daily Support: Equine Elixirs Ulceraser
- Price: £54.50
- Size: 2.7 kg
- Type: Powder
The Equine Elixirs Ulceraser is designed to offer daily support to your horses’ entire gastrointestinal tract and is a brilliant supplement to use for preventing equine gastric ulcers. It’s packed with all the natural goodness of chia seeds, dehydrated cabbage, pumpkin seed, cold-milled flaxseed, and black oil sunflower seed.
FAQs
What stimulates gastric acid secretion in horses?
There are a number of things that stimulate gastric acid secretion in horses.
Roughage, like hay and grass, automatically trigger the release of stomach acid. This is controlled by the hormone gastrin as a response to the presence of food. Stress from travelling, competitions, or intense exercise can also contribute to gastric acid secretion.
Why do horses get gastric ulcers?
Horses can develop gastric ulcers for many reasons, such as:
- Limited forage: Horses are natural grazers and their stomachs are designed to have a constant stream of food. During times when feeding is low or limited, they can have an excess of gastric acid in their stomachs which can potentially cause gastric ulcers.
- High-stress levels: Much like humans, too much stress can cause gastric ulcers in horses. Common stressors include transport, competitions, changes in routine, and intense exercise.
- Diet: Feeding horses high-grain diets with limited forage can alter the pH balance in their stomachs, making them more acidic and potentially leading to induced gastric ulcers.
- Infection: Certain gastric bacteria, such as Helicobacter pylori, have been linked to stomach ulcers in horses. These can be treated with antibiotics. It’s always good to have your horse checked out by your vet, just to be safe!
What is corn oil used for in horses?
Feeding corn oil to horses can provide a source of slow-release energy to horses. It can be used for weight gain in underweight horses. Corn oil also improves the shine and condition of a horse’s coat and is used to help treat horses with gastric ulcers.
What foods should be avoided if my horse has a gastric ulcer?
Avoid cereal-based foods and products high in starch and sugar if your horse suffers from ulcers. Replace starch with calorie-dense horse feed that has higher oil and fibre concentrates instead.
What are experimentally induced peptic ulcers?
This means a peptic ulcer, or gastric ulcer, has happened as a result of experimental or research purposes. What this means is that experimental peptic ulceration occurred by introducing the animal to stressful environments or where they had their food intake limited.
This research can give insights into how ulcers occur in animals for better understanding and treatment remedies.
