11/26/2020
IS YOUR HORSE FED APPROPRIATELY?
How's this for a visual you won't soon forget? This is how much stomach acid a horse's body produces each day. Two standard buckets full.
Why does this matter? Your chosen feeding practices can have a direct impact on whether this stomach acid is beneficial to the horse's well-being, or not.
Horses produce saliva when they chew; the more the horse chews, the more saliva is produced. If horses have access to ad-lib forage (hay or pasture), they will produce two buckets of saliva each day. Saliva serves a few purposes in the digestion process, one of which is to help buffer stomach acid. On the other hand, horses who are fed set feedings, with imposed fasting in between, have greatly limited chew time. They can't produce this same volume of saliva.
The horse's stomach is relatively small, and only lined with a protective coating on the lower two-thirds. Excess and 'unemployed' acid can splash up onto the unprotected top third of an empty stomach, resulting in pain, ulcers, and psychological distress for the horse. Such discomfort is a common cause of aggression at feeding time.
Regardless of the amount of chew time a horse has each day, his body still produces these two buckets of stomach acid – 1.5 litres every hour, 24 hours a day. It is our responsibility as the horse's caretaker to maximize 'chew time', and feed the horse as they have evolved to eat.
What can you do to increase your horse's chew time, balancing out these buckets so-to-speak?
PS. If your horse has metabolic issues, consult with a qualified equine nutritionist to find a hay with an appropriate nutritional profile that can be consumed ad lib.
And watch how you carry those buckets!
Post courtesy of Understand Horses course provider Lauren Fraser Equine Behaviourist.
#UnderstandHorses #3Fs #FriendsForageFreedom #horsebehavior #horses #horsebehaviour #horsewelfare
