Question

Is high-fiber, high-fat feed appropriate for horses that are susceptible to gastric ulcers? I use Re-Leve from Kentucky Equine Research (KER).

Answer

Athough Re-Leve was not designed specifically for horses with ulcers, it can be useful for those horses recovering from them. Because high-starch diets have been implicated as a cause of ulcers, it seems logical that high-fiber, high-fat feeds be used during recovery.One drawback with high-fiber, high-fat feeds is that the fat tends to slow the passage of the feed through the stomach, which might make the horse more uncomfortable, particularly if the ulcers are active (not being treated), but would be advantageous during treatment because the presence of feed in the stomach helps to absorb some of the acid being produced. The high calories from the high-fiber, high-fat feed are particularly useful for maintaining or regaining weight. Horses with ulcers can be very selective about what they eat, so whether the individual horse will eat a high-fiber, high-fat feed such as Re-Leve can only be determined by trying the product.

Re-Leve comes in two formulations: Original, which has a feeding rate of 6 pounds or more per day, and Concentrate, which has a feeding rate of 3 to 6 pounds per day. If the horse is an easy keeper, I recommend Concentrate, but if the horse has an issue with weight loss or has a high metabolism, I would recommend Original.