Testimonials from ULCERGARD® (omeprazole) Users
Horse owners everywhere are taking a stand against Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS).
Here are just a few of their stories.
Debbie McDonald
How long have you used ULCERGARD® (omeprazole)?
We have used ULCERGARD for six years
What do you do for a living?
Train dressage horses
What is your discipline?
Dressage
How many horses do you own?
I don't own any horses but have a sponsor who owns 10
Favorite horse's registered name, breed and discipline?
Brentina, Hanoverian, Dressage
What is your riding schedule?
All my horses train five days a week with two days of turnout and play
Number of events you participate in each year?
About six events nationally and up to three in Germany
Miles traveled each year to events?
We live in Idaho but travel to Southern California – 1,000 miles away – every show season. We stay there for five months.
What do you like most about the time with your horses?
Peace and quiet, listening to them eat and their friendship
What is your most recent success?
I have officially retired from international competition and am now in a coaching role
What is your favorite professional success?
Standing on the podium in Athens where I received a Bronze Medal
What is your favorite equine event success?
World Cup in Las Vegas 2005
What is your biggest stress during competition with your horse?
The travel – I worry every second they are in the trailer
Why do you use ULCERGARD?
We feed several times a day, give the horses turnout and try to give them a life filled with more than just four walls. But it is a proven fact that the life of a horse show is full of stress. In addition, our horses travel from Idaho to California – and not always under the most ideal weather conditions. The trip can take anywhere from 16 to 18 hours, which is another stress on the horses. Prevention is my policy and that's why I use ULCERGARD.
Beezie Madden
How long have you used ULCERGARD® (omeprazole)?
I have used ULCERGARD since it was first put on the market
What do you do for a living?
Ride and train horses, as well as train students
What is your discipline?
Show Jumping
How many horses do you own?
I have between 15 and 20 horses in training
Favorite horse's registered name, breed and discipline?
Authentic, Dutch Warmblood, Show Jumping
What is your riding schedule?
I ride four to five hours six days a week and all day during competitions
Number of events you participate in each year?
40
Miles traveled each year to events?
25,000 miles on the road and an unknown number of miles in the air, including intercontinental flights
What do you like most about the time with your horses?
Learning about my horses
What is your most recent success?
I was a member of the winning Nations Cup Team at the Spruce Meadows Masters in the Fall 2010 and won three World Cup Qualifiers during the 2010-2011 World Cup season
What is your favorite professional success?
Two Olympic Gold medals
What is your favorite equine event success?
Two Olympic Gold medals
What is your biggest stress during competition with your horse?
Keeping the horses healthy
Why do you use ULCERGARD?
We're on the road at least 42 weeks of the year, and each horse we show is on the road an average of 25 weeks a year. Stomach ulcers can be a problem for any horse and I think a lot of horses get worse after a long ship or after being at an event for a few days. After arriving, the stress may only continue, with several days of practice or showing. To be sure my horses start each show off on the right foot, I use ULCERGARD to help prevent stomach ulcers before they become a problem. We have had so much success with ULCERGARD that we use it on all of our horses that would likely be bothered by ulcers when we ship them and while at the shows. We start them on ULCERGARD a few days before the show and then keep them on it a couple of days after.
Bret Parrish
How long have you used ULCERGARD® (omeprazole)?
2004
What do you do for a living?
Horse trainer
What is your discipline?
Western pleasure
How many horses do you own?
I own 15 horses, but train 20
Favorite horse's registered name, breed and discipline?
RL Best of Sudden, Quarter Horse, Western Pleasure
What is your riding schedule?
I train horses six days a week
Number of events you participate in each year?
Approximately 12
Miles traveled each year to events?
10,000 miles
What do you like most about the time with your horses?
Training every day is challenging but it allows my wife and me to spend more time with our family
What is your most recent success?
I took third place in the 2-Year-Old Masters Western Pleasure Class at the 2010 Quarter Horse Congress
What is your favorite professional success?
I won the 2004 Reichert Celebration $100,000 Equine Sports Medicine Challenge Championship
What is your favorite equine event success?
Riding RL Best of Sudden, I won the 2004 Reichert Celebration $100,000 Equine Sports Medicine Challenge Championship
What is your biggest stress during competition with your horse?
The stress of hauling the horses
Why do you use ULCERGARD?
The actual showing of the horse is the easiest part – it's the hauling and preparation that are toughest for the horse. That's why we try not to stress the horses too much at one time. We take things slow and spread out the preparation time throughout the day – and even sometimes the night before – so we're not putting added pressure on the horse. In addition to keeping a regular competition routine to help keep my horses relaxed, we also use ULCERGARD to help prevent stomach ulcers before they become a problem. ULCERGARD is a great tool for us because if a horse isn't eating well and feeling good, they're definitely not going to perform well for us. We've gotten to where we'll give our horses a dose of ULCERGARD before we leave and then keep them on it until we come home. We try to guard against stomach ulcers before we ever leave home. It's a priority to give my horses products that are thoroughly tested and FDA-approved. The competition is no place to encounter surprises – everything from my horse's tack to healthcare products must work consistently.
Carol Rose
How long have you used ULCERGARD® (omeprazole)?
I have been using ULCERGARD since it was first put on the market
What do you do for a living?
I own Carol Rose Quarter Horses, the AQHA’s all-time leading breeder of performance horses
What is your discipline?
I participate in and/or train horses for all Western disciplines
How many horses do you own?
300
Favorite horse's registered name, breed and discipline?
Shining Spark, Quarter Horse, Reining
What is your riding schedule?
I and four other trainers work with 75 horses six to seven days a week
Number of events you participate in each year?
Carol Rose Quarter Horses participate in all major Reined Cow Horse events, including NRCHA, NRHA and AQHA
Miles traveled each year to events?
Around 30,000 miles
What do you like most about the time with your horses?
Horses are my business so I spend significant time with them every day. I love them. I particularly love watching a foal born and grow up to be a champion.
What is your most recent success?
I am the breeder and owner of the 2010 AQHA World Champion Junior Reining Horse, A Shiner Named Sioux
What is your favorite professional success?
I was inducted into the AQHA Hall of Fame in 2010
What is your favorite equine event success?
NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity
What is your biggest stress during competition with your horse?
Hauling the horses
Why do you use ULCERGARD?
The stress on an equine athlete can be considerable, especially during intense training for competition. To keep our horses performing at their best and help prevent stomach ulcers before they become a problem, we rely on ULCERGARD – giving it to our horses before transporting them to an event, throughout a competition or any time they are under stress. We recognize and value ULCERGARD – it’s an outstanding product and it’s all we use. The health and performance of our horses are of paramount importance and can be affected by a number of stressors in addition to training and competition, including changes in routine, illness or injury, and limited turnout or grazing. Using ULCERGARD gives me peace of mind that we are providing the best care possible, even in the most stressful of situations. It’s a vital tool in our arsenal of products.
Amy Tryon
How long have you used ULCERGARD® (omeprazole)?
I have used ULCERGARD since 2002
What do you do for a living?
I compete and train horses, but was formerly a professional firefighter
What is your discipline?
Eventing
How many horses do you own?
Two horses plus a donkey
Favorite horse's registered name, breed and discipline?
Leyland, Thoroughbred, Eventer
What is your riding schedule?
I ride every day
Number of events you participate in each year?
15
Miles traveled each year to events?
Thousands of miles, as I travel throughout the United States and internationally every year
What do you like most about the time with your horses?
The relationships that develop
What is your most recent success?
It's the start of the season, so the world is my oyster...
What is your favorite professional success?
Helping my students attain their goals
What is your favorite equine event success?
Placing third in the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany
What is your biggest stress during competition with your horse?
Performing at our best
Why do you use ULCERGARD?
ULCERGARD prevents stomach ulcers, which helps my horses perform at their best
Important safety information:
ULCERGARD can be used in horses that weigh at least 600 pounds. Safety in pregnant mares has not been determined.
®ULCERGARD is a registered trademark of the AstraZeneca Group of Companies.
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Photography by David R. Stoecklein