Author: cmequinecenter

Understanding The Equine Digestive System

A horse’s digestive system is very different than any other animal.  They have a very small stomach relative to their body and only holds 8 to 16 quarts. If you fed your horse a large meal of grain you can cause him digestive distress (colic.) Long periods of time without food can also cause issues because, unlike humans, horses continually produce digestive acids. This can irritate the lining of the stomach and can lead to health issues such as stomach ulcers. It is in the small intestine of the horse that serious digestive processes take place. The intestine itself secretes enzymes to facilitate the process but the prime supplier is the pancreas. These organs provide enzymes that break down proteins, fats, starches, and sugars. On average, the small intestine is about 70 feet long, three to four inches in diameter when distended and has a capacity of about 12 gallons. There are five basic parts to the large intestine: the cecum, which is about four feet long and one foot in diameter; the large colon, which is about 12 feet long and 10 inches in diameter; the small colon, which is about 10 feet long and four inches in diameter; the rectum; and the anus.

Horses are very susceptible to a variety of ailments, including colic if they ingest toxic materials. The reason is simple. With cows, the action within the rumen can detoxify feed before it reaches the small intestine. With the horse, this is not an option and the toxic material lands in the small intestine in an unaltered state and is absorbed into the bloodstream before it can be detoxified. This is why colic can be caused by a wide verity of sources.

What’s is Forage?

Forage contains all of the essential nutrients required by horses: water, energy, protein, vitamins and minerals. Unfortunately, many horse owners only talk about, or judge, forage based on protein content. Forage should be judged by the levels of all nutrients, not any one single nutrient.

Forage can be divided into two types: grasses, and legumes

Grasses that are fed to horses include many different species. The individual species of grass are further divided into those which grow well in colder climates – cool season grasses (ryegrass, orchard, oat and wheat) and those that grow well in hotter climates – warm season grasses.

Legumes are plants such as Alfalfa and clover. Generally, they provide more energy and have a higher protein and mineral content (especially calcium) than grasses.

The physical form of forages fed to horses is also quite variable. The simplest form of forage is pasture. Pasture can contain both grass and legume plants. Pasture plants can be selected to grow in all types of climates. Unfortunately when conditions become harsh, such as during extreme heat or cold, pasture plants will quit growing and become dormant. At these times of the season, the horse must rely on physical forms of forage, such as hay.

To make hay, plants are grown to a certain height or maturity, cut, dried to low moisture content and packaged into a bale. If the moisture content is greater than 15% the hay will mold while in storage. Feeding moldy forage is never recommended with horses since it can result in digestive upset (colic) or even death.

Forage Quality

The main factors that influence the quality of forage are: species of plant, stage of maturity of the plant and the physical location where the plant was grown. As mentioned previously, legume plants tend to be higher in protein, energy and calcium compared to grass plants. Hence, legume forages are best suited for horses with elevated nutrient requirements such as performance horses, broodmares and growing horses. On the other hand, grass forages, because of the lower energy content, may be better suited to horses that gain weight easily or for pleasure horses.

The maturity of the plant is also a determinant of forage quality. The inside of plant cells consists of protein, fat and soluble carbohydrates (cell contents) whilst the outside (cell wall) consists of fiber. The inside of the cell is highly digestible (80-100%) whilst the cell wall is more limited (40-50%). The more mature (older) a plant becomes or the taller a plant grows, the smaller the proportion of cell contents and the larger the cell wall. As plants mature, their digestibility and hence quality, decreases. Due to the high fiber content of mature plants, they proportionally contain less energy, protein, vitamins and mineral. Pastures often become less digestible in mid-summer and autumn due to the plants becoming tall and mature.

The final determinant of forage quality is the physical location where the plant was grown. Different geographic regions contain soils with different nutrient densities. The nutrient content of the soil is reflected in the nutrient content of the plant. For example, plants grown in nutrient deficient soil will also be nutrient deficient and of lower quality.

How to Assess Hay Quality 
Forage quality can be determined to a limited extent by visual inspection of the forage. Visual inspection can include looking at:

• Leaf to stem ratio,
• Length of the seed head,
• Color of the plant,
• Presence of dust or mold.

Higher quality hays will have more leaves than stems, a short seed head, be green in color, and smell fresh with no dust or mold. A more accurate evaluation of forage quality can be acquired via a laboratory analysis. First, a representative sample of forage is sent to the laboratory for chemical analysis. The results will then provide accurate determination of energy, protein, vitamin and mineral content. Laboratory analysis can also be used to determine the presence of harmful mold. Most local feed stores can send off a sample for you to determine quality.

How Much Forage Should I Feed?

Forage is the safest dietary ingredient that can be fed to horses. Horses require 1.5-3% of their body weight in forage per day. For a 1000 pound horse this equates to 15-30 pounds of forage per day.  When given free choice forage, horses spend more time chewing and thus produce more saliva. As saliva contains bicarbonate, a buffering agent, it may reduce the acidity in the stomach thereby reducing the risk of acidosis and related disorders. For preventive care, we want to mimic the most natural diet as possible. In the wild, horses graze for 16-18 hours a day. Therefore, domestic horses need a source of forage 24/7 when not being worked. However, every horse is different so asses your horse’s body condition score and determine if your horse is a risk for health conditions such as founder. Forage is still extremely important to those at risk for founder, you will just need to approach things differently. Free choice access to forage reduces the risk of ulcers, colic, helps with normal wear of teeth, and decrease vices when kept in stalls due to boredom. Here at CM Equine Center, we firmly believe in having free choice access to good quality hay and grass is critical to maintaining your horses over all health. As with any health related issue, consult with your veterinarian.

Every training horse sent to us is special but we sure will miss our latest one. Cowboy is a 4 year old Quarter Horse that was bred and raised for the show pen. Like so many show horses, Cowboy had a lot of holes in his foundation. He preformed beautifully in the show arena. He naturally collected and could do flying lead changes but something was missing. Cowboy was not very responsive to leg cues, was stiff throughout his body, spooky at new objects, trailer issues, and had very little training on the trail. His owner wanted a horse that was quiet, respectful, and responsive. When they enter the arena he should pay attention to her and not his surroundings. She also wanted a confident trail partner for long rides and, trusting he would take care of her. By the end of his training he is just that! Cowboy is a very special horse and we have no doubt that these two are going far, no matter what direction they choose!

My Name is Hank the Tank, but my friends just call me Hank. I am a four-year-old strawberry roan gelding from Owyhee, Nevada. I was rounded up on 11/25/16, and from there I made my way to Ewing, Illinois. I wasn’t there too long. On 3/17/17 I was loaded onto a trailer. That’s where my story really begins. I was frightened, but I somehow knew everything was going to be ok. Once I arrived in North Carolina I was very thankful for all the hay I could possibly eat, and of course not being on a trailer any more. The next morning this silly looking two-legged began to work with me. He sent me around the round pen several times. Each time he let me stop, I let him get closer and closer. I began to trust this skinny two-legged. I even let him touch me, and later put a rope thingy around my head that day. The rope around my butt was the scary part. Every once in a while, I still get scared when something touches me there. If you know how to desensitize and move my feet, I quickly get over it. From then on, I really started to like these two-leggeds. I mean who doesn’t love lush green hay and treats? Carrots, and apples however are just gross.

My trainer and goofy two-legged friend, Cale, started jumping all over and around me. I thought he was strange, but I just went along went it. Soon I had a saddle on, which was the hardest thing for me to get used to. Having an empty saddle on my back is quite strange. Soon it was time for our first ride. We walked, trotted, and cantered all on the same day. After two more rides, we were out of the round pen and into the arena. We worked just about every day and soon I was introduced to the slant load trailer. I already respected and trusted Cale so much I went on with ease the very first time I was asked.

A few days later I loaded into the trailer with two mares, and headed to Texas. There, Cale went to school to become a Certified Clinton Anderson Ambassador. The Girls were enrolled into the Academy and stayed on the ranch. I stayed across the street with Cale in an apartment and stable complex. Cale didn’t have as much time for me now as he was focusing on the girls and on graduating. Yet, he took excellent care of me, giving me all the alfalfa I could possibly eat. He took me across the road and we worked on the ranch as often as possible. At first, I thought it was scary seeing other horses being ridden. Cale wasn’t a bother to me at all but why is there a two-legged on that horse?! Yet, I learned that they too must have trust in their trainers. We did many obstacles, trained out on the trails, and of course lots of arena work. Our partnership really took off. Cale gained control of my feet, which lead to even more respect, more control, and more trust. This lead to love. It didn’t seem long and we were headed back to North Carolina. I guess Cale passed since he now wears a shiny round thing around his waist. Once back home we worked on refining what I had learned and went on more trail rides. I even started jumping!

Hank was the Number 1 horse going into the top ten performances, ahead of the second place horse by nearly 10 points! Hank decided he had enough of being a show horse and mentally checked himself out for the rest of the day lol. Yet, Hank and Cale came in 10th out of 60 trainers that picked up horses for the Makeover. Mustangs are excellent teachers and Hank defiantly taught us a lot. Hank at the end of the Extreme Mustang Makeover was purchased by a wonderful couple in Pennsylvania, and is loved on by four women who call themselves the Sisterhood of Hank! He has the best home we could ever ask for and keep in touch often. Hank is also responsible for changing our out look on mustangs, they are not all “beat with the ugly stick,” some are very beautiful. Some mustangs you would think are registered Quarter Horses or Warmbloods. They are not all crazy like most people would have you believe. Its all about your approach to training.  Once you are able to touch them they just melt and can become great horses. Many mustangs are also becoming very popular in the show ring, and giving registered horses a run for their money. Plus, boy do they have some personalities! Hank was so easy for us to fall in love with and because of him we are now dedicated to getting more mustangs like Hank out of the holding pen. We want to show people just how amazing these living legends can really be.