As you know by now, I have Bean, a Thoroughbred, who in typical Thoroughbred fashion can lose weight with one desperate whinny, so coming up with a feeding program that keeps him calm but keeps him fit is a constant challenge. And, with the buzz going around about carbohydrates being the number one contributor to everything from colic and laminitis to hyperactivity and nervousness, with developmental orthopedic diseases (DOD) and Cushing’s Disease thrown into the mix, I’m beginning to wonder: are carbohydrates a help or a hindrance to the equine diet? I figured if anyone would know, Larry Lawrence, PhD, Nutritionist at Kentucky Equine Research would, so I asked . . . And, here’s what he had to say . . .
Understanding Digestion
Having exceptionally small stomachs, horses are limited in their ability to absorb nutrients from large quantities of food at one time, a holdover from their days in the wild. Because they can forage up to 20 hours a day, the stomach needs to process food quickly, between 30 to 90 minutes before passing it on.
The small intestine is the next stop where the majority of the nutrients, including protein, some carbohydrates, and fat are digested, and where many essential vitamins and minerals are absorbed. From there, the digestive matter and liquids continue on to the cecum and colon (hind-gut), which digests fiber (insoluble carbohydrates) and the remaining soluble carbohydrates (starches and sugars).
Understanding Carbohydrates
There are six main categories of nutrients necessary to a horse’s survival – water, carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals. While energy isn’t a category, next to water, almost 90% of a horse’s nutrient intake is required to fulfill this critical requirement, and where carbohydrates, soluble and non-soluble, come in.
Soluble Carbohydrates
Soluble carbohydrates (starches and sugars) are broken down into simple sugars (glucose) in the stomach and small intestine where they are eventually absorbed into the blood stream. The hormone, insulin, continues the process by transferring glucose from the blood to the liver and muscles where it is stored for utilization on demand. This energy reserve, known as glycogen, is the resource that provides immediate power bursts critical for all horses, but especially horses involved in intense anaerobic sports such as racing. The starch from corn, oats, barley, and molasses are the most common sources of soluble carbohydrates
Insoluble Carbohydrates
Unlike soluble carbohydrates, insoluble carbohydrates are derived from the fiber source, cellulose, which is digested in the hind-gut. Taking 24+ hours to process, insoluble carbohydrates are transformed into volatile fatty acids, which are absorbed and held by the liver as an additional energy source. Forages such as hay, grass, beet pulp, and soybean hulls are the main suppliers of insoluble carbohydrates.
Understanding the Relationship between the Two
Trouble often starts when feeding excessive amounts of soluble carbohydrates. Because there may not be sufficient time for the starches to be broken down in the stomach before reaching the small intestine, glucose and insulin can flood the blood stream causing metabolic upsets particularly in the young developing or senior horse, as well as hyper-excitability and behavioral problems across the board. Alternatively, when the starches are not adequately broken down, they enter the hind-gut and rapidly ferment, which is where disorders like colic and founder originate.
Insoluble carbohydrates (fiber), on the other hand, are fundamental to an efficient digestive system (horses can live on fiber alone as an energy source), and therefore should not be compromised in an effort to reduce starches and sugars in the diet. A general guide line is to feed at least one to two pounds for every 100 pounds of weight per day. For example, a 1,000 pound adult horse would need approximately 10 – 20 pounds of hay and may be fed even more depending on its workload and condition.
Research shows that by increasing dietary fiber and fat (fat is the densest form of energy and is considered effective in controlling the rate at which glucose is released into the system), while reducing starch and sugar intake will benefit the overall health of horses participating in light to intense performance or pleasure activities while at the same time reducing the risks linked with starch overload.
Cool deal, Larry; thanks for making a mole hill out of a mountain?
Understanding Digestion
Having exceptionally small stomachs, horses are limited in their ability to absorb nutrients from large quantities of food at one time, a holdover from their days in the wild. Because they can forage up to 20 hours a day, the stomach needs to process food quickly, between 30 to 90 minutes before passing it on.
The small intestine is the next stop where the majority of the nutrients, including protein, some carbohydrates, and fat are digested, and where many essential vitamins and minerals are absorbed. From there, the digestive matter and liquids continue on to the cecum and colon (hind-gut), which digests fiber (insoluble carbohydrates) and the remaining soluble carbohydrates (starches and sugars).
Understanding Carbohydrates
There are six main categories of nutrients necessary to a horse’s survival – water, carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals. While energy isn’t a category, next to water, almost 90% of a horse’s nutrient intake is required to fulfill this critical requirement, and where carbohydrates, soluble and non-soluble, come in.
Soluble Carbohydrates
Soluble carbohydrates (starches and sugars) are broken down into simple sugars (glucose) in the stomach and small intestine where they are eventually absorbed into the blood stream. The hormone, insulin, continues the process by transferring glucose from the blood to the liver and muscles where it is stored for utilization on demand. This energy reserve, known as glycogen, is the resource that provides immediate power bursts critical for all horses, but especially horses involved in intense anaerobic sports such as racing. The starch from corn, oats, barley, and molasses are the most common sources of soluble carbohydrates
Insoluble Carbohydrates
Unlike soluble carbohydrates, insoluble carbohydrates are derived from the fiber source, cellulose, which is digested in the hind-gut. Taking 24+ hours to process, insoluble carbohydrates are transformed into volatile fatty acids, which are absorbed and held by the liver as an additional energy source. Forages such as hay, grass, beet pulp, and soybean hulls are the main suppliers of insoluble carbohydrates.
Understanding the Relationship between the Two
Trouble often starts when feeding excessive amounts of soluble carbohydrates. Because there may not be sufficient time for the starches to be broken down in the stomach before reaching the small intestine, glucose and insulin can flood the blood stream causing metabolic upsets particularly in the young developing or senior horse, as well as hyper-excitability and behavioral problems across the board. Alternatively, when the starches are not adequately broken down, they enter the hind-gut and rapidly ferment, which is where disorders like colic and founder originate.
Insoluble carbohydrates (fiber), on the other hand, are fundamental to an efficient digestive system (horses can live on fiber alone as an energy source), and therefore should not be compromised in an effort to reduce starches and sugars in the diet. A general guide line is to feed at least one to two pounds for every 100 pounds of weight per day. For example, a 1,000 pound adult horse would need approximately 10 – 20 pounds of hay and may be fed even more depending on its workload and condition.
Research shows that by increasing dietary fiber and fat (fat is the densest form of energy and is considered effective in controlling the rate at which glucose is released into the system), while reducing starch and sugar intake will benefit the overall health of horses participating in light to intense performance or pleasure activities while at the same time reducing the risks linked with starch overload.
Cool deal, Larry; thanks for making a mole hill out of a mountain?
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