11 min read Last updated: January 2026 Struggling to add condition to an ulcerprone horse without flareups? Youll get a clear, UKready plan to build weight safely, calmly and consistentlyfeeds to choose, example rations, seasonal tweaksand the key guardrail of keeping NSC under 1 g/kg bodyweight per meal. Quick Summary Short on time? Here are the key takeaways. Area: Forage First What To Do: Provide ad lib forage; at minimum feed 1.5% bodyweight daily (9kg hay or 1012kg haylage for 500kg), plus constant fresh water. Why It Matters: Continuous fibre buffers stomach acid and drives steady weight gain. Common Mistake: Long gaps without forage or underfeeding roughage. Area: NSC Limits What To Do: Keep starch + sugar under 1g/kg BW per meal and under 2g/kg BW per day (500g and 1kg for a 500kg horse). Why It Matters: Lower NSC reduces acid spikes and ulcer flareups. Common Mistake: Buckets that push NSC over the permeal cap. Area: HighFibre, HighOil Feeds What To Do: Pick lowNSC, BETA EGUSapproved conditioners (e.g., Baileys Ease & Excel, Soothe & Gain, Solution Mash) and add oil, balancing with vitamin E. Why It Matters: Supplies safe calories for condition without cereal starch. Common Mistake: Using cerealbased mixes to chase weight gain. Area: Use Alfalfa What To Do: Add shortchopped alfalfa or AlfaA Oil to every meal for slowrelease energy and buffering. Why It Matters: Alfalfas protein and calcium help protect the stomach and build topline. Common Mistake: Skipping chaff or opting for molassed, highsugar chaffs. Area: PreExercise Fibre What To Do: Feed a double handful of chaff or offer a haynet 2025 minutes before riding. Why It Matters: Preride fibre reduces acid splash and discomfort during work. Common Mistake: Exercising on an empty stomach. Area: Test Forage Acidity What To Do: Analyse hay/haylage; prefer good hay or lowacid wrapped hay for sensitive horses, and mix forage sources to extend chew time. Why It Matters: Controls acidity and sugars while keeping intake high. Common Mistake: Feeding true fermented, acidic haylage without testing. Area: Seasonal UK Tweaks What To Do: In winter and spring flushes, limit highNSC grass, prioritise tested forage (1012kg/day for 500kg if turnout is restricted), and rug appropriately. Why It Matters: Manages variable grass sugars and conserves calories in cold weather. Common Mistake: Full turnout on sugary days with no forage plan or rugging. Area: Calculate NSC Buckets What To Do: Use label NSC to total per meal (e.g., 14% 1.5kg = 210g) and split feeds to stay within limits. Why It Matters: Accurate maths keeps meals compliant with guidance and gutfriendly. Common Mistake: Guessing quantities or ignoring label NSC. In This Guide The fastest way to help an ulcer-prone horse gain condition How much forage and what type? Set safe starch and sugar limits per meal and per day Choose feeds that build condition without starch Meal timing and preexercise fibre UK seasonal tweaks: turnout, grass and rugging How to build a daily feeding plan Common mistakes to avoid Your horse can gain weight with gastric ulcers safely and steadily if you feed for fibre first, keep starch and sugars low, and add calories from oil. Heres exactly how to do it in the UK, season by season, with example rations and product picks that meet current guidance.Key takeaway: Base the diet on ad lib forage (minimum 1.5% bodyweight), keep nonstructural carbohydrates below 1g/kg bodyweight per meal, and use highfibre, highoil, BETA EGUSapproved feeds to add condition without aggravating ulcers.The fastest way to help an ulcer-prone horse gain conditionFor ulcer-prone horses, the safest and quickest route to weight gain is ad lib forage plus low-starch, high-fibre, highoil calories that keep NSC under 1g/kg bodyweight per meal. This protects the stomach while delivering enough energy for condition and topline.Why it works: forage stimulates saliva and keeps the stomach topped up, physically buffering acid. Replacing cereal starch with digestible fibre and oil adds calories without the acid spikes linked to concentrates. UK guidance from Horse & Hound and the GOV.UK feed labelling rules converge on the same core principles: high fibre, controlled starch/sugar, small frequent meals, and preexercise fibre.Starch, such as found in concentrated cereal feeds, is strongly associated with an increased risk of gastric ulcers. Therefore, stick to the high-fibre diet If additional energy is required then this is best fed through a high-oil diet and dont forget to balance with vitamin E. Kate Hore, Head Nutritionist at NAF (Horse & Hound)At Just Horse Riders, we recommend pairing a forage-first approach with targeted digestive support. Youll find gut-friendly options on our horse supplements collection and vet-guided feeds carrying the BETA EGUS Approval Mark.How much forage and what type?Feed a minimum of 1.5% of bodyweight in forage daily; for a 500kg horse without grazing this equals roughly 9kg hay (unsoaked) or 1012kg haylage. Ad lib access is even better for acid control and steady weight gain.Hay vs haylage: true fermented haylage can be more acidic and less ideal for some ulcer-prone horses. The most practical approach in UK yards is to analyse your forage and choose either good hay or wrapped haylage with hay-like acidity. The SEIB nutrition guidance recommends testing pH and, where necessary, preferring true hay or lowacid wrapped hay for sensitive horses, especially through damp autumns when UK grass sugars rise (SEIB).Seasonal note: during wet UK winters and on spring flushes, grass NSC can run higher (reports up to around 14% seasonally). If your horse is ulcerprone and a poor-doer, limit fresh grass on these days and prioritise your tested hay/haylage to control sugars while still pushing calories.Quick tip: Mix forage sources (for example, quality hay plus a small proportion of straw if appropriate) to extend chew time, but dont rely on straw alone. Always ensure constant fresh water to support fibre fermentation and gut motility.Set safe starch and sugar limits per meal and per dayKeep nonstructural carbohydrates (starch + sugar) under 1g per kg bodyweight per meal and under 2g per kg bodyweight per day; for a 500kg horse, thats less than 500g NSC per meal and less than 1kg NSC per day. This aligns with UK GOV guidance for feeds indicated for ulcerprone horses.These figures from Horse & Hound and the GOV.UK labelling criteria are practical guardrails for every bucket you feed. The UK regulation requires ulcerindicated feeds to keep starch/sugar below 20% for low/medium energy or below 25% for high/competition feeds and to be fed at rates that keep meals under 1g/kg BW NSC and days under 2g/kg BW.How to use it: if a conditioning mash is 14% combined starch + sugar (NSC), your 500kg horses maximum single meal to stay under 500g NSC is about 3.5kg (500g 0.14). Most horses wont need a bucket that large; split feeds so each meal is comfortably inside your limit.Choose feeds that build condition without starchUse high-fibre, high-oil, lowNSC feeds such as alfalfa-based chaffs and BETA EGUSapproved cubes/mashes to add calories safely. This builds topline without the fizz or ulcer risk associated with cereals.Dengie AlfaA Oil 2% starch, 4.5% sugar; ideal for poor-doers needing slowrelease calories from fibre and oil. A typical 22.5kg/day ration costs about 2.65/day (20kg bag RRP 21.19; Horse & Hound).Baileys Ease & Excel 8% starch and 6% sugar (14% NSC), carrying BETA EGUS approval for ulcerprone horses (Baileys). A strong choice where more energy density is needed with digestive safety.Allen & Page Soothe & Gain 14% combined starch/sugar, 13.25MJ/kg energy, with 13.5% betaglucan fibre to help keep the stomach fuller for longer (Allen & Page).Rowen Barbary Solution Mash around 1% sugar and high oil; a typical 2kg/day ration is approx. 2.10 (20kg RRP 20.96; Horse & Hound).Pure Feed Company Condition Mix fibre and oilbased steady energy; around 3.15/day at 2kg (15kg RRP 23.62; Horse & Hound).Alfalfa matters: a 2023 analysis found alfalfa pellets increased clinical success for Equine Gastric Glandular Disease by 47.7 times compared with concentrate rations (SEIB summarising Julliand et al., 2023). Adding shortchopped alfalfa to every meal is doubly useful: it supplies quality protein and calcium that help buffer acid, and it lengthens chew time.Adding short chopped fibre, ideally containing alfalfa, to every meal can be hugely beneficial as the high protein and calcium content in alfalfa is thought to help buffer stomach acid. Katie (nutritionist), via Horse & HoundFor fussy feeders or hardkeeps, try molassesfree highfibre options such as Baileys High Fibre Ultra or Dengie AlfaA Molasses Free (around 11.5MJ/kg, ~4.5% sugar). At Just Horse Riders, our team often pairs these with appropriate digestion support from trusted brands like NAF especially when increasing oil, where extra vitamin E is important (as NAFs Kate Hore highlights).Meal timing and preexercise fibreFeed small, frequent meals and give a handful of chaff or a haynet 2025 minutes before you ride to reduce acid splash. This simple habit makes ridden work more comfortable for ulcerprone horses.Multiple smaller buckets reduce acid load per meal and match GOV.UKmandated advice for ulcerindicated feeds to promote littleandoften feeding. Preexercise fibre is nonnegotiable:It is also advisable to feed a handful of chaff or forage or give a horse a haynet 2025 mins prior to exercising to help line the horses stomach and stop the acid from splashing around while the horse moves. Katie (nutritionist), via Horse & HoundAt Just Horse Riders, we see the best results when riders also manage stress around work and travel. Plan warm-ups to avoid fast, jarring work on an empty stomach, and introduce any ration changes over 1014 days to protect the hindgut.UK seasonal tweaks: turnout, grass and ruggingIn wet UK winters and spring flushes, limit highNSC grass, use analysed hay/haylage, and push forage to 1012kg/day for a 500kg horse when turnout is restricted. This keeps sugars consistent while meeting calorie needs for weight gain.Consider management that reduces calorie wastage through cold stress and fidgeting. Wellfitting rugs help poordoers conserve energy for condition rather than warmth. Explore our winterready turnout rugs and cosy stable rugs from trusted brands like WeatherBeeta to keep your horse comfortable during cold snaps. On brighter days, a calm hack in traffic-safe kit can support mental wellbeing kit up with rider hivis for safe roadwork.Quick tip: in yards where forage gets eaten quickly, use smallhole nets to extend intake time. If your horse is stressy, additional calm handling, routine turnout, and consistent grooming can help; our grooming range has yard-friendly tools to make this easy.How to build a daily feeding planFor a 500kg ulcerprone poordoer, aim for ad lib forage plus 23 small buckets of lowNSC, highoil feed, each calculated to keep NSC under 500g. Use alfalfa chaff in every meal and 2025 minutes preexercise.Example day plan (adjust to condition and workload):Forage: ad lib good hay or lowacid wrapped hay; minimum 9kg hay or 1012kg haylage if no grazing (Horse & Hound).Breakfast: 11.5kg Dengie AlfaA Oil plus 0.51kg of Baileys Ease & Excel or Allen & Page Soothe & Gain. NSC check: AlfaA Oil (low NSC) + 14% NSC cube/mash in small amounts keeps the meal safely under 500g NSC.Lunch: Repeat a similar 12kg total, or swap in Rowen Barbary Solution Mash for a soaked option (about 1% sugar; great for hydration and fussy eaters).Dinner: 11.5kg AlfaA Oil with a complementary conditioning mix such as Pure Feed Company Condition Mix (fibre/oil based). Keep each bucket small and well under your 500g NSC ceiling.Preexercise: double handful of alfalfa chaff or a few minutes on a haynet, 2025 minutes before you ride.Supplements: add appropriate digestive support and vitamin E when feeding higher oil; browse our curated supplements and trusted NAF options.Pro tip: Calculate NSC per meal. If a feed is 14% NSC, a 1.5kg portion contributes about 210g NSC (1.5 0.14 = 0.21kg), comfortably inside the 500g meal limit for a 500kg horse. Build each bucket with that arithmetic to stay compliant with GOV.UK advice.Common mistakes to avoidAvoid large cereal meals, riding on an empty stomach, singleforage rations and acidic forages. These slipups quietly undo your good work.Big buckets of cereal-based mix linked to higher ulcer risk; swap to fibre-and-oil conditioners (Horse & Hound).No preexercise fibre always feed chaff 2025 minutes before work.Onetype forage only add variety and test hay/haylage, preferring lowacid options where needed (SEIB).Exceeding NSC caps track starch + sugar per meal and per day; choose BETA EGUSapproved feeds (e.g., Baileys Ease & Excel) and follow smallandoften feeding per GOV.UK labelling.Underrugging poordoers protect calories for weight gain with appropriate turnout rugs and stable rugs through cold snaps.At Just Horse Riders, we also suggest keeping a simple fortnightly weight and body condition score log. Small, steady changes tell you the ration is right and help you catch any drift early.Conclusion: what to do nextFeed for fibre first, enforce the NSC limits, and use alfalfa and oil for extra calories. If your horse needs more energy without aggravating ulcers, look for the BETA EGUS Approval Mark and build meals that stay under the 1g/kg BW NSC ceiling. For helpful extras, explore gut-friendly options on our supplements page and keep your horse comfortable with wellfitting turnout and stable rugs from brands like WeatherBeeta. If youd like personalised product suggestions, our team is here to help.FAQsCan alfalfa be used for ulcer-prone horses needing weight?Yes. Alfalfa is low in starch and its higher protein and calcium help buffer stomach acid. A 2023 analysis reported alfalfa pellets increased clinical success for EGGD by 47.7 times versus concentrate rations (SEIB). Practical picks include Dengie AlfaA Oil and alfalfa chaff added to every meal.Is haylage safe for horses with ulcers?It can be, but true fermented haylage is often more acidic. Test pH and, if your horse is sensitive, choose hay or wrapped hays with haylike acidity (SEIB). In the UKs damp autumns and winters, analysed forage helps you control sugars while keeping calories up.How much lowNSC feed can I give per meal to a 500kg horse?Keep NSC (starch + sugar) below 500g per meal. For a 14% NSC feed, thats a maximum of about 3.5kg per meal (500g 0.14). Its safer to feed smaller buckets more often (Horse & Hound; GOV.UK).What if my horse needs more calories but has ulcers?Use highfibre, highoil, lowstarch feeds: Dengie AlfaA Oil (approx. 2.65/day at 2.5kg), Baileys Ease & Excel (8% starch, 6% sugar; BETA EGUSapproved), Allen & Page Soothe & Gain (14% combined) or Rowen Barbary Solution Mash (~1% sugar). These add condition without the risks associated with cereal starch.Should I feed before riding?Yes. Offer a double handful of chaff or a haynet 2025 minutes before exercise to line the stomach and reduce acid splash (Horse & Hound).Are there UK regulations for ulcer-friendly feeds?Yes. GOV.UK requires ulcerindicated feeds to meet starch/sugar limits (below 20% for low/medium energy, below 25% for high/competition) and to be fed in a way that keeps meals under 1g/kg BW NSC and days under 2g/kg BW. Packaging must not claim to treat or cure and must advise vet consultation if ulcers are suspected (GOV.UK). The BETA EGUS Approval Mark helps you identify compliant products in the UK.What else supports comfortable weight gain through winter?Keep your horse warm, calm and on a routine. Wellfitting turnout rugs and stable rugs reduce calorie drain in cold snaps, consistent grooming lowers stress, and safe hacks in hivis keep work relaxed. Combine this with ad lib forage and lowNSC conditioning feeds for the best results. Shop the Essentials Everything mentioned in this guide, ready to browse. Shop SupplementsShop NAF SupplementsShop Turnout RugsShop Stable RugsShop WeatherBeeta