Question # 220: My new horse (who I have had for just a month) has started to grind his teeth when I ride him. Not all the time, but usually near the end of the ride, and mostly during dressage rides...
... Should I be concerned that there is something wrong with him, like ulcers? (Jill)
Hi Jill!
Ulcers can definitely cause a horse to grind their teeth under saddle. So it might be a good idea to have a vet check your horse for ulcers, especially since he is in a transitional stage right now, with a new owner and probably a new barn. Or you could spare him the trauma of scoping, and just put him on a course of Ulcergard (one full tube a day) for a week or two, and see if you notice a change in his behavior. If he stops grinding his teeth under saddle, that may be a strong indicator that ulcers were your problem. I would then keep going with the Ulcergard medicine, giving him one full tube a day for the rest of the month. As well as making sure he gets lots of turnout, and plenty of grass or hay throughout the day. I like to give any horse with a history of ulcers a low grain diet, with unlimited hay at all times if possible. If you don't see any change in his behavior during your trial of Ulcergard, then it is probably a case of... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)
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