Learning Center · Riding & Training

What changes for a horse who gets ulcers when hauling to fall shows?

Fall show hauling can trigger ulcers; managing forage and knowing UlcerGard from GastroGard is what changes.

By The Schneiders Product Team · Updated September 29, 2026
3 minute read · Reviewed against our current catalog

The short answer

two things change, forage management and whether to use omeprazole around the trip. UlcerGard is available over the counter and is labeled for preventing gastric ulcers during stressful stretches like hauling and showing. Keeping hay in front of your horse before, during, and after travel does the rest, because an empty stomach on a moving trailer is one of the biggest risk factors you can actually control.

Why an empty stomach on a trailer matters UlcerGard vs GastroGard: prevention vs treatment What to change around the trip Competition rules to check first

Start here

Why an empty stomach on a trailer matters

A horse's stomach produces acid continuously, whether or not there's anything to digest. Grazing and steady forage intake keep a mat of chewed hay sitting on top of that acid, which buffers it, and saliva produced while chewing adds more buffering on top. Pull hay away for a haul, add the stress of trailering, and the stomach lining, especially the upper, non-glandular portion that has the least natural protection, gets exposed to acid with nothing there to blunt it. That combination is what makes hauling one of the more reliable ulcer triggers in an otherwise healthy horse.

Working by keeping forage in front of your horse before, during, and after the trip is the part you control for free. Hay in a slow-feed net during transit, and turnout rather than stall confinement once you arrive, are the usual adjustments experienced haulers make.

How it works

UlcerGard vs GastroGard: prevention vs treatment

The distinction worth knowing is that UlcerGard is the over-the-counter preventive, given around a known stressor like a haul or a show weekend, at a lower dose than the prescription version. GastroGard, the prescription version, is for treating ulcers a horse already has, at a higher labeled dose. Both use the same active ingredient, omeprazole, which works by reducing stomach acid production, but the difference is the dose and the purpose behind it.

If you suspect a horse already has ulcers rather than just being at risk during travel, that's a scope and a vet conversation, because symptoms alone (girthiness, poor appetite, attitude changes) don't tell you what's actually there or how severe it is. Guessing and dosing accordingly can mask a problem that needs a different treatment altogether.

What that means for you

What to change around the trip

Digestive support supplements are worth a look for horses who travel often, used alongside the forage strategy rather than instead of it. They're a supporting layer, not a substitute for hay in the trailer.

Ulcer and digestive support

UlcerGard® (Omeprazole) · Choice of Champions Ulser Shield · Equinety™ Horse XL 600gm · Probios Digestion Support Horse Treats

Shop ulcer & digestive supplements

The details

Competition rules to check first

If you're competing, check the current medication rules for your discipline and association before giving anything, including over-the-counter products like UlcerGard. Withdrawal times and rules around what's permissible in competition change, and it's worth confirming before you leave rather than after you've already dosed.

Mentioned in this entry

UlcerGard® (Omeprazole)View ›

Choice of Champions Ulser Shield View ›

Equinety™ Horse XL 600gm View ›

Probios Digestion Support Apple Flavor Horse Treats View ›

Quick answers

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between UlcerGard and GastroGard?

Both contain the same active ingredient, omeprazole, but UlcerGard is the over-the-counter preventive dose, used around known stressors like hauling and showing. GastroGard is the prescription version, dosed higher, for treating ulcers a horse already has. Prevention and treatment are different jobs, which is why they're sold and dosed differently.

Should I feed my horse hay during a trailer ride?

Generally yes, in a slow-feed net so your horse can nibble steadily rather than bolt it. Continuous forage intake keeps saliva and chewed hay buffering stomach acid throughout the trip, which is one of the simplest ways to lower ulcer risk during travel.

How do I know if my horse already has ulcers rather than just being at risk?

Symptoms like girthiness, poor appetite, or attitude changes under saddle suggest ulcers but don't confirm them. A gastroscopy done by your vet is the only way to see what's actually there and how severe it is, which then determines whether treatment or ongoing prevention is the right path.

Can I give UlcerGard before a horse show?

It's labeled for that use, given around stressful stretches like hauling and showing, but check your discipline's current medication rules first since some associations have withdrawal windows or restrictions on omeprazole use close to competition.