I think the stomach issue is something that can be easily explained as people can relate.
It wasnt that long ago that we didnt have any idea to what extent ulcers played in the health of horses. It seems amazing now but 20 years ago very few people made much of it. When a stomach scope was developed we found that a huge majority of horses had stomach ulcers, even seemingly healthy, in-form ones might have some degree of ulcers.
Before we recognized ulcers was a problem that was causing horses to be less healthy, their coats would go bad, they would act colicky, they would get sour, form would go off. Trainers would turn those horses out (good ones at least) and let the issue sort itself out (even if they didnt know the root cause). Being turned out on a grass paddock can reduce stomach ulcers either completely or to a managable level so after a few months the horse could return to training.
Now that we understand the role ulcers play we not only can manage them with medicine (expensive medicine I might add) but take other steps to try to reduce the development of them. Instead of having to give horse 3 months off and spend 3 months bringing them back we can treat them and keep them healthier. While i'm sure that some will believe that the rest isnt so bad try owning a horse that cant race for 1/2 the year. The other issue is that just because you healed the ulcers in this instance the factors that caused them in the first place are still there. So eventually the same cycle will play over again.
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