I cannot confirm that gastric ulcers lead to a horse being girthy or sensitive to touch, as the search results do not contain information about the relationship between gastric ulcers and a horse’s sensitivity to touch. However, the search result does define colic in horses.
Colic refers to various disease conditions in horses that show clinical signs of abdominal pain. Horses are prone to colic because of digestive tract issues, which can lead to death in about 11% of affected animals. Signs of colic include pawing, kicking at the abdomen, and rolling. Dietary changes significantly affect the chances of colic. Over 70 causes have been identified, making it hard to determine the exact cause in each case. Treatment options include pain relief medication, mineral oil to soften impaction, and surgery.
Would you like to learn more about the causes and treatments for colic?