Could a Tiny Capsule Change What We Know About Equine Gastric Ulcers?

The way we care for horses is constantly evolving

If you've owned horses for a few decades, you've probably noticed that some advice has changed dramatically.

Many riders were once taught never to feed a horse before exercise. Today, many veterinary surgeons recommend offering forage before riding, particularly for horses prone to gastric ulcers.

So what happened?

Did the old advice suddenly become wrong?

Not exactly.

Our understanding of the horse's stomach has improved enormously, and thanks to new technology, we're about to learn even more.

Why the horse's stomach is unusual

Unlike people, horses produce stomach acid continuously, whether they are eating or not.

In the wild, this isn't usually a problem because horses spend most of the day grazing. The constant intake of forage stimulates saliva production, which helps buffer stomach acid, while the fibrous mat of forage in the stomach helps limit acid movement.

Modern management is often very different.

Periods without forage, high-concentrate diets, travel, competition and exercise can all increase the risk of developing gastric ulcers.

One of the biggest discoveries over the past two decades has been the role of acid splash.

The lower part of the horse's stomach naturally contains acidic fluid. During exercise—particularly faster work—the stomach contents move, allowing acid to splash onto the upper, squamous (non-glandular) region of the stomach. Unlike the lower glandular region, this area has relatively little natural protection against acid, making it more susceptible to ulceration.

Why feeding before exercise became popular

Research has shown that feeding forage before exercise may help reduce acid exposure in several ways.

Forage stimulates saliva production, which contains natural buffering compounds.

It also creates a fibrous layer within the stomach that may reduce the movement of acidic fluid during exercise.

This is why many veterinarians now recommend offering a small amount of forage before work, particularly for horses at risk of Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS).

However, despite these recommendations, one important question has remained difficult to answer:

Exactly what is happening inside the horse's stomach while it is exercising?

The problem with previous research

Measuring stomach acidity in exercising horses has never been easy.

Traditional studies often relied on passing tubes through the horse's nose into the stomach or taking measurements before and after exercise.

While these methods have provided valuable information, they also have limitations.

Equipment can move during exercise.

Measurements are only taken at specific moments rather than continuously.

And researchers cannot always be certain that the sensor remains in exactly the same place.

This makes it difficult to understand precisely how stomach acidity changes throughout different types of exercise.

A new piece of technology

Researchers at the University of Queensland are now testing a small wireless pH capsule that can be attached directly to the stomach lining using an endoscope.

Rather than relying on external tubing, the capsule continuously measures stomach acidity from a fixed location and wirelessly transmits the data.

Early pilot work has shown that the capsule can remain attached long enough to collect valuable information while horses carry out normal activities.

Although still a research tool rather than a clinical device, it represents an exciting step forward in our ability to study the equine stomach.

Why is this important?

The capsule itself isn't the breakthrough.

The breakthrough is what it allows scientists to investigate.

Researchers may soon be able to answer questions such as:

• Does feeding hay before exercise genuinely reduce acid splash?

• Is alfalfa more protective than grass hay?

• How much forage is needed?

• How long before exercise should horses eat?

• What happens during different types of exercise such as hacking, dressage, jumping or galloping?

• How effective are different ulcer medications throughout the day?

Instead of relying on occasional measurements, researchers will be able to observe changes continuously.

This could significantly improve our understanding of ulcer prevention.

Science doesn't stand still

Some people become frustrated when recommendations change.

In reality, changing advice is often a sign that science is working exactly as it should.

When many of today's riders first learned to ride, the advice was often not to feed horses before work.

As research uncovered more about gastric ulcers and acid splash, recommendations evolved.

Now, improved technology may help answer the remaining questions with even greater confidence.

The horses haven't changed.

Our ability to understand them has.

What does this mean for horse owners?

At the moment, very little changes in day-to-day management.

Current veterinary advice regarding forage, feeding practices and ulcer prevention remains based on the best available evidence.

What this new technology offers is the opportunity to strengthen that evidence and refine future recommendations.

It reminds us that good horse management isn't about following tradition simply because "that's how we've always done it."

Nor is it about chasing every new idea.

Instead, it is about remaining curious, evaluating good-quality evidence and being willing to adapt as our understanding improves.

That is how science moves horse welfare forward.

Key Takeaways

🐴 Horses produce stomach acid continuously.

🌾 Forage before exercise may help protect the upper stomach by stimulating saliva production and forming a fibrous mat within the stomach.

📡 New wireless pH capsule technology allows researchers to monitor stomach acidity continuously during normal activity.

🔬 This could improve our understanding of feeding strategies, exercise and gastric ulcer prevention.

📚 Good science doesn't prove we were "wrong" in the past—it helps us make better decisions in the future.

References

University of Queensland research update (2026).

The Plaid Horse. (2026). What You Feed Before You Ride Might Be Protecting Your Horse's Stomach.

Selected peer-reviewed literature on Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS), gastric physiology and acid splash mechanisms.