Few areas of equine veterinary medicine have undergone such a profound shift in understanding over the past two decades as gut health. For Dr Ruth Taylor, an experienced equine veterinarian whose career spans the UK and Australia, that transformation has been both professional and deeply practical — changing how horses are assessed, treated and ultimately how they perform.
A CAREER ACROSS CONTINENTS
Dr Taylor’s veterinary journey began in Edinburgh, where she completed her studies before relocating to Australia almost immediately after graduating. “I studied in Edinburgh and then I moved out here almost straight away; I’ve been here nearly 20 years,” she explains.
Her early career included a decade at Ballarat Equine Clinic in Victoria, one of Australia’s leading equine practices. Around nine years ago, she moved to the Adelaide Hills, where she continues to work closely with a wide range of horses — from elite performance athletes to pleasure horses and paddock companions — at Horsemed SA Hills clinic.
Veterinarian Dr Ruth Taylor. Image supplied.
Over that period, Dr Taylor has witnessed a dramatic evolution in equine medicine, particularly in how veterinarians and owners approach gastrointestinal health.
GUT HEALTH: THE FOUNDATION OF PERFORMANCE
Today, gut health is widely recognised as a cornerstone of equine wellbeing and performance — but that hasn’t always been the case.
“Gut health is really integral,” Dr Taylor says. “If you have a horse that has poor gut health, they tend to be pretty unhappy horses, and unhappy horses just don’t perform well.”
The connection between physical comfort and performance is especially evident in disciplines requiring precision and rideability. A horse experiencing gastrointestinal discomfort cannot perform to its potential — whether that’s in a dressage arena or over fences.
“If your horse is not comfortable in its gut, then it’s not going to do a nice dressage test and it’s not going to be rideable,” she explains. “The whole horse is linked, and I think gut health is as much of a priority as orthopaedic health or cardiovascular health.”
This holistic view reflects a broader shift in equine care — away from isolated symptom treatment and toward understanding the horse as an interconnected system.
THE MOST COMMON CULPRIT
Among gut health conditions, Equine Gastric Ulceration Syndrome (EGUS) is by far the most common issue encountered in practice.
“Equine Gastric Ulceration Syndrome is probably the most common gut health issue that we see,” Dr Taylor notes. “We see a lot of horses with chronic diarrhoea, intermittent colic, and failure to put on weight and topline.”
However, one of the most important — and challenging — aspects of EGUS is that the signs are not always obvious. While traditional expectations might focus on physical symptoms such as weight loss or poor coat condition, many affected horses appear outwardly healthy.
Instead, subtle behavioural changes often provide the first clues.
A NEW FRONTIER
Adding complexity to the picture is the equine microbiome — the vast ecosystem of bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms inhabiting the digestive tract.
“The microbiome is a relatively poorly understood area in horses,” Dr Taylor says. “If there’s an imbalance in those, we’re seeing chronic colic, poor performance, diarrhoea, ulcers — all of that is pretty common, unfortunately.”
While research is still emerging, it is increasingly clear that disruptions to this microbial balance can have far-reaching effects, influencing not only digestion but immune function and behaviour. This has helped drive interest in gut-supportive therapies.
Equine Gastric Ulceration Syndrome is probably the most common gut health issue that Dr Taylor sees at Horsemed SA Hills. Image supplied by KER.
“We probably just wrote horses
off as naughty instead…”
A DRAMATIC SHIFT IN PERCEPTION
Perhaps the most striking change Dr Taylor has observed is in the perception of equine behaviour.
“When I first graduated, we really didn’t talk a lot about ulcers,” she recalls. “We probably had one form of oral omeprazole to treat horses that we thought were suffering from ulcers… but often we probably just wrote horses off as naughty instead.”
Today, that mindset has largely been replaced by a more informed and empathetic approach. Owners and riders are increasingly attuned to the possibility that undesirable behaviour may stem from discomfort rather than temperament.
“That conversation has turned a lot in the last 20 years,” she says. “The general horse-owning public has been great at getting educated.”
Modern riders are more likely to question resistance or reactivity, asking whether the horse might be trying to communicate an underlying issue. “When you put your leg on and the horse doesn’t want to go forward and it kicks out — it’s maybe trying to tell you something and not being naughty,” Dr Taylor explains.
This shift has led to more horses being investigated for gastric issues — often through gastroscopy, the gold standard diagnostic tool.
Dr Taylor’s clinic, Horsemed SA Hills, performs a high number of gastroscopies. Image courtesy of Horsemed SA Hills.
“You cannot tell from
looking at the outside of
the horse whether it’s
got problems…”
LOOKING INSIDE THE STOMACH
Gastroscopy has become an invaluable part of equine veterinary practice, allowing vets to directly visualise the stomach lining and accurately diagnose ulceration.
Dr Taylor’s clinic performs a high number of gastroscopies, enabling precise assessment of ulcer severity and type. This is particularly important because EGUS includes two distinct forms: squamous and glandular ulcers, each requiring different management strategies.
“It’s really good to scope these horses… so we can actually see what’s going on in the stomach, what grade of ulcers they have, what type of ulcers they have,” she says.
However, she also emphasises that diagnosis can be challenging without internal examination. “You cannot tell from looking at the outside of the horse whether it’s got problems in its stomach… in some cases, they can look well, they can look fat, they can look shiny.”
Squamous ulcers on the margo plicatus, viewed via scope. Image courtesy of Horsemed SA Hills.
A gastrocope image showing pyloric (glandular) ulceration. Image courtesy of Horsemed SA Hills.
LIMITED OPTIONS TO TARGETED CARE
The evolution of treatment options has mirrored advances in understanding. Two decades ago, choices were limited — primarily focused on omeprazole, a proton pump inhibitor that reduces stomach acid.
“We were using a lot of omeprazole… and then trying to use sucralfate, often in the form of oral tablets that you get for people,” Dr Taylor explains. These early approaches were often difficult to administer and lacked strong scientific validation in horses.
While omeprazole remains a cornerstone of treatment — particularly effective for squamous ulcers — it is less successful in treating glandular disease. This gap created a need for more targeted solutions.
ENTER SUCRALOX®
The introduction of Sucralox, from Kentucky Equine Research, marked a significant step forward in managing gastric ulcers, particularly glandular ulcers. “When Sucralox came out, it meant we actually had a product with some really great scientific evidence that was well priced and palatable,” Dr Taylor says.
Sucralox is specifically formulated for horses and offers a multi-faceted approach to gut health. In addition to sucralfate — a compound that forms a protective barrier over ulcerated tissue — the product includes postbiotics and antacid components that support overall gastrointestinal function.
“I really like it because it’s not just the sucralfate… you’re getting additional digestive supplements as well,” she explains.
This broader formulation aligns with the growing understanding that gut health extends beyond the stomach alone.
A PRACTICAL & PREVENTATIVE TOOL
One of the key advantages of Sucralox is its versatility. While it can be used as part of a treatment plan, it also serves as an effective long-term management tool.
“It can work as a long-term additive to a horse’s feed,” Dr Taylor notes. “Some of these ulcery horses… they need omeprazole at the time to resolve the ulcers, but as prevention, they can do very well on just the Sucralox as a maintenance supplement.”
Sucralox can work as a long-term additive to a horse’s feed. Image supplied by KER.
Its palatability and ease of feeding make it particularly appealing for ongoing use — an important consideration for horses prone to recurrent ulcers.
BEHAVIOURAL CHANGES: A POWERFUL INDICATOR
The impact of effective treatment is often most evident not in physical changes, but in behaviour and performance. Dr Taylor reports consistent improvements in horses previously labelled as difficult or reactive.
“A common behaviour that we see in horses with ulcers is an increase in spookiness or reactivity,” she explains, noting that she’s seen an improvement in horses displaying these behaviours once treated with Sucralox.
In performance horses in particular, changes can be subtle yet significant. Dressage horses, for example, may show reduced tension and improved rideability following treatment. “When they’ve been treated and when they’re not ulcery, you start to reduce the tension… they are subtle symptoms, but consistently a change that you can track.”
For riders and owners, these improvements can be transformative — not only enhancing performance but also strengthening the partnership between horse and human.
A SIGN OF OTHER ISSUES
Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, Dr Taylor emphasises that gut health cannot be viewed in isolation. Persistent or recurrent ulcers may also signal underlying issues such as lameness, back pain or dental problems.
“Horses that are in chronic low-grade discomfort are more prone to stomach ulcers,” she explains. “If the treatment is not working, you do have to think about the whole horse.”
This holistic approach reflects the complexity of equine health, where multiple factors often interact to influence outcomes.
A NEW ERA OF UNDERSTANDING
The progress made over the past 20 years represents a shift not only in veterinary practice, but also in the broader equestrian community.
“There are more gut health supplements now… the market has exploded,” Dr Taylor notes. However, she cautions that product quality and scientific backing can vary widely, highlighting the importance of evidence-based choices.
Products like Sucralox stand out in this landscape because of their research foundation and practical application — offering veterinarians and owners a reliable tool in the ongoing management of equine gut health.
Sucralox has marked a significant step forward in managing gastric ulcers, particularly glandular ulcers. Image supplied by KER.
Dr Ruth Taylor’s career reflects the broader evolution of equine medicine, from a time when behavioural issues were often misunderstood, to an era defined by deeper insight and more sophisticated care.
Today, gut health is recognised as fundamental to both wellbeing and performance. With improved diagnostics, greater awareness and advanced products like Sucralox, veterinarians are better equipped than ever to identify and manage gastrointestinal issues.
Perhaps most importantly, horses are no longer dismissed as “naughty” when they resist or react. Instead, they are understood as individuals whose behaviour may reflect underlying discomfort — giving them a voice that is finally being heard. EQ
This article was written in conjunction with Kentucky Equine Research. To find out more about Sucralox, click here.
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