Competitive riders will use nearly any and all tools available to calm those pesky horse show nerves. Like most seasoned athletes, they are prepared, excited and passionate about competing, but their nerves can and do, sometimes, get the best of them.
Rider Pre-Competition Checklist
- Yoga
- Deep breathing
- Sports psychologist
- Pep talk from trainer
- Chamomile tea
- Motivational music
Horse Pre-Competition Checklist
- Rubber stall mat
- New shoes
- Apples
- Favorite stall toy
- Bran mash
- ULCERGARD®(omeprazole)
Because they are human, riders have the opportunity to experiment with various methods of relaxation to relieve the stress of competition. But what about their equine partners?
Think of the possible sources of stress introduced to horses before, during and after a show:1
- Increased training regimen.
- Travel, sometimes for long distances.
- Adverse environmental conditions such as high heat and humidity or very cold and windy weather.
- Insufficient rest between events.
- Lack of sleep due to late night events or activity at the show barn.
- Presence and activity of strange horses and people.
- Changes in the horse’s daily routine.
Increased stress levels of the handlers and riders can also affect a horse.1 The combination of those stress levels with the factors listed above has the potential to impact the horse’s health. “The show environment can be very stressful to a horse, which can cause a number of problems, including the development of stomach ulcers,” says April Knudson, DVM, Equine Specialist, Veterinary Services, Merial.
A horse’s stomach can produce up to 16 gallons of acid each day.2 While a high roughage diet results in a decreased level of acid due to a buffering effect of the grass itself and also the horse’s own saliva, that opportunity isn’t readily available in most show environments.3 Given that limitation and the other risk factors created by the nature of competition, ulcer prevention is critical to optimum performance.
“ULCERGARD reduces acid production by the acid pump,” Dr. Knudson says. In studies, ULCERGARD prevented stomach ulcers in 82% of horses when given once daily, while 86% of untreated horses developed stomach ulcers.4
“Before I even go to a show, I start my horse on ULCERGARD as a way to prevent stomach ulcers from occurring,” says Kari Kemper Hickam, Blue Springs, Mo., a competitor on the Arabian horse show circuit for more than 30 years. “I continue with this prevention regimen at the show and follow up for a few days when I get back home. I do a lot of things so that I can perform at my best and want to do the same for my horses so they can, too.” Kemper Hickam is one of four winners in Merial’s Stay on Guard contest, which was held last year to identify several new ULCERGARD spokespeople.
The only proven, FDA-approved medication specifically for preventing stomach ulcers in healthy horses,5 ULCERGARD is widely available through veterinarians and dispensed as a once-daily oral paste formulation.
If a horse should develop stomach ulcers, GASTROGARD® (omeprazole) is the only product approved by the FDA to treat and heal them. It has been proven to heal or significantly improve stomach ulcers by up to 99% in treated horses.6 Administered as an oral paste, GASTROGARD can also be obtained from a veterinarian.
“For horse owners who compete, it’s important to think about preventing stomach ulcers before an unexpected veterinary visit is required,” says Dr. Knudson. Should a horse display signs of stomach ulcers, Dr. Knudson notes it is possible for a veterinarian to make a presumptive diagnosis without gastroscopy. In such a case, a 28-day regimen of GASTROGARD with one tube given once per day effectively heals or reduces the severity of gastric ulcers.6
Merial is a world-leading, innovation-driven animal health company, providing a comprehensive range of products to enhance the health, well-being and performance of a wide range of animals. Merial employs approximately 5,600 people and operates in more than 150 countries worldwide. Its 2010 sales were more than $2.6 billion. Merial is a Sanofi company.
For more information, please see www.merial.com.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Caution: Safety of GASTROGARD in pregnant or lactating mares has not been determined.
ULCERGARD can be used in horses that weigh at least 600 pounds. Safety in pregnant mares has not been determined.
1 King C. Stress, Performance and Adaptogenic Herbs, Horses Inc., January 2006. Available at http://www.animavet.com/articles. Accessed May 3, 2011.
2 Kitchen DL, Merritt AM, Burrow JA. Histamine-induced gastric acid secretion in horses. AJVR 1998;59(10):1303–1306.
3 Mitchell RD, Prevalence of gastric ulcers in hunter/jumper and dressage horses evaluated for poor performance. Association for Equine Sports Medicine. September 2001.
4 White GW, et al. Prevention of occurrence and recurrence of gastric ulcers in horses by treatment with omeprazole at 1 mg/kg/day. In Proceedings. 49th Annual Convention of the American Association of Equine Practitioners 2003:220-221.
5 ULCERGARD product label.
6 Freedom of Information Summary for GASTROGARD.
®GASTROGARD and ULCERGARD are registered trademarks of Merial Limited.
©2011 Merial Limited, Duluth, GA. All rights reserved. EQUIUGD1120 (06/11)