Forage 101

Forages ‒ the leaves and stems of plants such as grasses or legumes available to horses as fresh pasture or as preserved hay ‒ make up the foundation of the equine diet. Depending on the species and material of the plants, they can provide almost all of the nutrients required by most horses: the calories and protein, as well as many of the vitamins and minerals.

Forages are also vital to provide fibre that is required for digestive tract health. Recall that horses have a complicated digestive tract that has a small stomach suited to trickle feeding, and well-developed “hindgut” that houses a large ecosystem of microbes that act to ferment the horse’s fibrous diet to provide additional nutrients.

When fibre is lacking in the diet, the natural flow of digestive material through the intestines is compromised and the ecosystem may be negatively impacted, resulting in digestive disturbances such as colic. Of course, the natural grazing behavior of the horse is well suited to nibbling on hay or pasture throughout the day.

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