
After only one trip to the feed store, one can be amazed by the extensive assortment of equine feed products. The store is well stocked and has a huge assortment of baled hay in addition to chopped, cubed, and pelleted feed.
For any of those things to be metabolized, every horse regardless of breed, age, or riding discipline must pass through the equine digestive tract. The better you understand this process, the more skillful you will be in adjusting the diet to suit your horse's needs.
Normal Process
You have, without a doubt, discovered some remarkable facts about the digestive system of horses. It is true that if the digestive tract were stretched to its maximum length, it would be around 100 feet long. Due to its small stomach, horses typically don't keep food in its stomach for very long.
The bulk of nutrients in food are absorbed in the small intestine after it has passed through the stomach. Food that does not undergo breakdown in the small intestine travels to the hind gut, where microbial fermentation takes place, via the cecum and large intestine. As the bacteria in the hind intestine naturally ferment and break down the plant fiber to extract as much nutrition as possible from the meal, feed matter can remain in this location for several hours.
Problems might arise when a horse eats too fast, does not chew his meal thoroughly, or is fed too much food at once. Any of these circumstances that result in excessive fermentation and gas production can harm the gut.
Horses' digestive systems rely on a healthy population of beneficial microorganisms. It cannot function as designed without these "good bugs," in fact. They help regulate the pH of the intestines, which prevents the growth of dangerous germs. Additionally, the Gut health horse supplement produce substances that have similarities to antibiotics and particular enzymes that combat and eliminate a wide range of harmful bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Additionally, beneficial microbes neutralize the poisons produced by harmful bacteria.
These beneficial microbes live in symbiosis with the horse. These are essential to the horse's proper digesting process and provide the bacteria with a safe habitat inside their "host."
It's likely that you've heard not to significantly change your horse's diet, but why? Sudden feed adjustments, especially when using concentrates, might destroy the beneficial bacteria in the hindgut. They are no longer there to aid in digestion when they die, and toxic substances are released. Moreover, opportunistic microorganisms that are dangerous to humans multiply as they die off and can result in gastrointestinal issues.
Not only a sudden change in diet might jeopardize the colony of beneficial bacteria in a horse's digestive system. Stress is another issue, and it can be exacerbated by rivalry, travel, and schedule changes. Certain medications may have a negative impact on the digestive tract.
Horse nutritionists recommend a week of progressively introducing new concentrates, hay, and pasture. By doing this, the beneficial bacteria have time to adapt to their new diet. You may also wish to feed a digestive support supplement during feeding transitions to a new diet or under potentially stressful circumstances.
Offering Digestive Support
Many horse owners give their horses Gut health horse supplement designed to aid in the regeneration of beneficial bacteria in their digestive systems. By adding live bacteria and microbes, these supplements aim to maintain the number of "good bugs" in the horse's body.