I have a 12.2hh welsh/riding pony that is extremely nervous. he had his stomached scoped by a vet when he was younger and the vet said that he either has stomack ulcers or had no stomach lining, possibly due to being starved when he was young. We have fed him a few different specialised additives but to no effect. We have currently been feeding him brewers yeast, but this too seems to be having no effect. He is worked regularly throughout the week, up and down large hills and flatwork. He isn't a big eater and has lost a bit of weight. He is a quality pony, but he just falls apart at shows. His manure is liquid and very smelly all the time. He shakes from nerves underneath you when riding. I would really love some advice on what to do with this pony, and also if the stomach problems are related to his nervousness?

Where are you from? Thornton

How did you locate this forum? Search on google

Hi Emily,

Under normal circumstances, a pony’s stomach is protected from stomach acid by its lining. Horses secrete acid even when they are not eating, but this is generally not a problem. However, it is because of this constant flow of acid that a pony needs to be able to graze all day. The constant source of roughage absorbs digestive acid. Also, the saliva production neutralizes the acid.

If your pony is stalled and/or goes for hours without forage, this can set him up for further stomach damage. In addition, feeding large amounts of concentrates stimulates the production of even more acid. So, the best thing to feed him is as much high quality hay as he wants and use safe forages for additional calories – such as rice bran and beet pulp. Also, the hay should be a mixture of grasses and legumes (such as alfalfa, clover, or peanut hays) in order to provide all of the amino acids needed to produce healthy tissue (for healing).

If his work level is intense or he is experiencing other stressors such as trailering or being confined to a stall, this can result in even more acid production. He is likely very nervous because he is in pain. The discomfort that he is experiencing is often manifested in behavioral changes. This can affect his appetite, as well. And, his weight will drop as a result.

Has your veterinarian prescribed GastroGard (omeprazole)? This is the same drug known as Prilosec that is used to treat heartburn in humans. It is an effective treatment, though quite costly.

From a nutritional perspective, your goal would be to adjust his diet, as I described above, if you are feeding him a large amount of grains or complete feeds that are grain-based.

In addition, I would recommend that you offer a B Complex vitamin supplement. Brewer’s Yeast is high in the B vitamins, but you would have to feed a very large amount of it for it to make a difference. Instead, try purchasing a B complex – there is a supplement known as “B-Plex” that you can find on the internet. This will reduce his stress level and also increase his ability to repair his stomach lining. It will also increase his appetite.

Until you have his health under control, I would suggest that you do not work him. This is making it difficult for him to heal and his nervousness under saddle is an indication that he is suffering much discomfort. His diarrhea is likely very acidic and this can also cause colic and even laminitis (since the acid can destroy the bacterial flora in the hind gut), if left untreated.

I hope these suggestions are helpful. Please keep me posted on his condition.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Thanks for the advise. I am mainly feeding him chaff, both lucerne and oaten, as wel as "equijewel" pellets as they add weight and are full of supplements he also gets hay in the stable. He spends 90% of his time out in the paddock with plenty of grass.
My only problem is that he has been like this for a very long time. He has only come to me in the last two months, before that he was worked only at shows, very rarely.
I'll look into the B-supplement a bit more. Thanks for your help!

Where are you from? Thornton

How did you locate this forum? Search on google

Hi Emily,

Good – your feeding plan is fine. It sounds as though with your special care he will improve with time. Two months is not very long, after a lifetime of neglect. Poor guy – I expect the B vitamins will help along with the other care. I’ll look forward to hearing how he is doing.

Dr. Getty