Ridecamp: RE: [RC] Ulcer Research/USA Druggies?

I'm new to this group and to endurance/distance riding also so I don't
understand the statement "we're riding horses with ulcers already"  Is this
common to competition horses as a group or just endurance?  Is this because
the sport is so stressful to the horse?  Are the ulcers like ones people get
when they worry too much or eat or drink the wrong things or take medicines
that are too strong?  

I ran barrels and poles with my horse as a kid and he never had any of these
kinds of problems. Maybe cause I didn't put too much stress on him or maybe
he just enjoyed it too much.  I have a horse now after 20 years of not being
able to have one and want to do LD to start and then 50's but not at the
expense of my horse's health.  I'll just to trail rides if it comes to that.

-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Sofen [mailto:msofen@xxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Thursday, May 16, 2002 8:56 AM
To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [RC] Ulcer Research/USA Druggies?


My impression is that the ulcers heal and then allow the horse to work more
comfortably.  Remember, most of us are theoretically already riding horses
with ulcers.  The treatment allows the stomach to heal, then their normal
and event activities don't cause the added discomfort from irritation of the
stomach.  A horse that chronically produces too much stomach acid could
re-create the ulcer, that's for certain.  However, many of the factors that
might have initially produced the ulcer (an extended Bute treatment, stall
confinement, inadequate turnout, inadequate forage in the diet, etc) may
have been changed in the interim.

Mike

-----Original Message-----
Just curious.  If the circumstances that caused the ulcers don't
change...just how often do they have to go through this treatment?  I
mean, you gonna cure them and then quit competing?

Angie


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=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
 Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
 Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
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