Fiber Unlike humans, horses are able to extract energy from the fiber in their diet. The fiber is converted to volatile fatty acids (VFAs) by a bacterial fermentation process in the hindgut; the VFAs are then used to synthesize glucose (sugar) for immediate energy or are converted to fat for storage.
Horses need to eat a large amount of fiber each day to keep their gut active and free of problems, such as colic. A strong urge to chew on fibrous material also means horses may develop vices such as wood-chewing and stall-walking if they become bored without hay or pasture to consume. Since horses can handle only small amounts of concentrated energy in the form of grain, the bulk of the diet should be free-choice forage (hay or pasture), preferably with a lot of natural long-stem matter as opposed to pelleted hay or small cubes.
Back to Horse Health Glossary
Back to Equine Nutrition A to Z
This article originally appeared in the 2010 issue of Horses USA. Click here to purchase a copy.
Holly Caccamise has been with Horse Illustrated and Young Rider magazines since 2007, and in 2019, she became Editor in Chief of both titles. Caccamise has a master's degree in Animal Science with a specialization in equine nutrition and exercise physiology. She has also worked as a racing magazine ad copywriter and top-level show groom.
Is your horse cold in the winter? The following excerpt from Keeping Horses Outdoors by Iveta…
It's often what you can’t see that leads to trouble, and that’s definitely the case…
Equine ulcers are a significant concern for many horse owners. Ulcers can affect all types…
Consuming sand is not ideal for equine digestion because sand irritates and inflames the intestinal…
Horse owners who live in the United States, are 18 years of age and older, and currently own or manage…
Is your horse cold in the winter? The following excerpt from Keeping Horses Outdoors by Iveta Jebáčková-Lažanská helps answer that question…
Welcome to Horse Illustrated’s weekly installment of the Right Horse Adoptable Horse of the Week, offered in partnership with the…
These four common horse training mistakes are easier to catch and correct when you’re aware of them. As a clinician,…
If you appreciate sport horses of many different breeding backgrounds, types and colors, the American Warmblood will unite you with…
LENNOX, S.D. — Every great innovation begins with a moment of clarity, and for ZahnTech's founder, Avery Zahn, it came…