# Equine Ulcer vs Magnesium Deficiency



## squirrelfood (Mar 29, 2014)

Ulcers and magnesium deficiency are often closely related. Mag supports nerve and brain function, easing symptoms of stress. Stress is a major cause of ulcers. Sometimes not possible to separate the two.


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## SueNH (Nov 7, 2011)

Is the mare stalled? Does she have hay around the clock. What is she eating? Where does the hay come from?

Ulcers are pretty common especially in stalled horses or horses that have limited hay.

Some parts of the country have soils that low/no calcium and magnesium like New England.

I add magnesium to my horses food but I do it for IR issues. I see a difference in 2, nothing noted in the 3rd. Distribution of fat, no mood problems. No weird ouchies.

I also know my soil and local hay isn't going to have much mag so I figured it can't hurt adding it.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

I too have added Mg for other reasons, and seen big behavioural changes for the better too. Sounds like ulcers are also a distinct possibility for your horse, so I'd consider treating that too. While Mg deficiency & ulcers do appear linked, high amounts of Mg through the gut can also aggravate ulcers, so that's also a consideration, to maybe wait to supp until ulcers are treated... or don't feed it, but pour it on! Mg Chlor & Epsom salts are 2 forms easily absorbed through the skin.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

get a succeed FBT kit. 40.00 will give you an ides if you have ulcers. Mild ulcers may not show positive but it would help diagnose.


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## clwhizy (Aug 20, 2014)

I feed extra magnesium to my horses and have been for a few years. I bought magnesium oxide (powder form) from the local feed mill which is pretty cheap and the bag lasts forever it seems! It was recommended to me by the vet when my mare pulled a muscle a few years ago. 
This is a helpful link:
Magnesium for Horses


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

The magnesium used in most supplements is magnesium Oxide and that is also an antacid so would help reduce ulcers/risks of ulcers
Given your horses symptoms if you live in a Lymes area I'd also get the horse tested for that


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Forgot to say gravelproofhoof.org


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## JessieJane (Nov 23, 2014)

Lymes disease and pinched nerve have been ruled out. Also, she is not pregnant and does not have an cysts on her ovaries. She was getting a fortified pellet, but when the issues became severe I switched her to hay pellet. She first became "ouchy" with the girth when a foal was born into the herd, around the same time I started showing her locally. Trailer rides and shows alone I know can cause ulcers, and as the summer became more mild approaching fall her exercise and activity level increased. Then we moved barns, where she was quarantined for 7 days (stress overload), and began a rigorous schooling schedule 4-5 days a week. That is when symptoms changed from 'girthy' and 'no I don't want to get on the trailer' to 'don't touch my belly or I'll cow kick' and her inability to relax, always tensed up, hypersensitive from her shoulders back and aggressive around her hind-quarters and barrel, and her bombproof demeanor became "ahhh its a leaf!" I moved her back home where she is on turn-out unless the weather is ugly (severe rain, ice, or snow). 2 flakes of hay twice a day, and hay pellet grain. She showed mild improvements, but still sensitive. Before, I couldn't touch her stifle. Now, I get to it gently, but applying any pressure gets a cow kick still. Ulcers medications were started a few days ago, I didn't want to scope since there's a chance her ulcers are hind-gut. After a couple weeks, if she still isn't herself, I purchased Magstore from Performance Equine to treat for a deficiency.


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## SueNH (Nov 7, 2011)

You know you can get a bag of Magnesium Oxide, 50 lbs for around $20 from a feed mill?
Or Epsom salts from Walmart and get the same results.

Only drawback with the epsom salts is it is a good laxative so you need to watch the dose.


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## cakemom (Jul 4, 2010)

I feed mag from ukele as well as copper, and have noticed a tremendous difference in my "ulcery" and somewhat flighty boy. He's now settled and happy. I also find selenium plays a part in it - which they get in the California trace mineral I supplement.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

SueNH said:


> You know you can get a bag of Magnesium Oxide, 50 lbs for around $20 from a feed mill?
> Or Epsom salts from Walmart and get the same results.


Anecdotal studies(see above site for some) have shown that Mg Ox is not as effective as Mg Chlor. I don't think oxide is as absorbable through the skin either. I think 'efficiency' of Epsom salts is somewhere in the middle.


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## SueNH (Nov 7, 2011)

But at the price of it even if they only manage to absorb a third it doesn't matter.
Aside from Epsom salts it seems to be the most readily available in a food grade form.
I only see magnesium chloride here for melting snow and ice and it's visibly dirty.It does melt ice, great around walkways with flower beds because it doesn't burn the plants. I could probably special order a cleaner grade but it took hitting 4 feed stores to find one that could order the mag ox in.

Since MagOx is what most of the feed companies use for putting mag into their feeds and knowing it's been used for a long time by dairy folks for cows going out on spring grass it's most likely a very benign additive.

I did see a very visible change in the old app mare I have. She had a lot of odd fat pads that made her look very sway backed. They are gone now. While she is still a bit sway backed I can at least put a saddle on her without all sorts of extra padding. Just the normal drooping that comes with age and gravity now.

My daughters old pony the changes were more subtle. More of a loss of water weight and puffiness. I don't think somebody who didn't know the horse well would notice but I did. She had a puffy look around her eyes like somebody having a bad hay fever attack most of the time.

Using about a tablespoon a day for each horse that 50 lb bag is going to last me a long time.


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## customhorsetack (Dec 7, 2014)

Cakemon, I was wondering what Uckele product you use for your horse? I have a horse at the farm who has ulcer issues, and would like to try what you are doing for him. I looked up Magnesium+choride on the Uckele website and there are a lot of products that have that ingredient in them. 

Thanks so much for any information you can provide.

Tracy Stevens
Spanish Horse Dreams
Custom Horse Tack and 
Equine Art For All Horse Breeds.
Custom Spanish, Western Horse Tack and Equine Art for sale


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## cakemom (Jul 4, 2010)

Magnesium Oxide 58% - Vitamin/Mineral - Uckele Health & Nutrition
It's oxide- but at the rate of one scoop a day I find a huge difference in attitude and touchiness. Before, brushing made him flinch. I also use this...
Poly Copper - Vitamin/Mineral - Uckele Health & Nutrition
This article here led me to doing research through which I based my feeding of supplements. I do also feed California Trace minerals, which contains enough zinc for my area without supplementing iron- which my soil is rich in. 

Calm Healthy Horses - The problem with grass!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

While all of these antacids will help they aren't as effective at dealing with bad persistent ulcers as a course omeprazole or ranitidine
Plus you have to look at possible changes to management to reduce stress or a change of feeding regime


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

^You mention something very relevant there Jaydee. Antacids. I didn't know Mg was classed as an antacid, I thought it was only calcium type prods called that. Which, considering Mg deficiency is generally at least a part of the problem, may 'treat' the symptom, but actually exacerbates the underlying probs.


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## SueNH (Nov 7, 2011)

Milk of Magnesia, a very old antacid and mild laxative.

Magnesium hydroxide - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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