Radios and Gastric Ulcers: Is There a Connection?

Should you keep a radio playing in the barn to keep the horses company?

Some horses might prefer a quiet stable, according to an Australian study* of gastric ulcers. Scientists gathered data on more than 400 Thoroughbreds in race training. More than half the horses had ulcers, and the percentage increased with length of time in training.

Ulcers were more common in horses that were turned out singly or not turned out at all; had to be transported to a training track; and were housed in barns where a radio was playing. Horses listening to talk shows had significantly higher rates of ulceration than those listening to music.

Turning off the radio won’t, of course, cure ulcers, but the study does suggest that radio noise contributes to stress in some horses.

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*Lester, G.D., I. Robertson, and C. Secombe. 2008. Risk Factors for Gastric Ulceration in Thoroughbred Racehorses. Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, Australian Government. p. 18.