Everything Horse magazine Magazine, October 2014 | Page 28

The

HORSE

Horses have evolved over
many thousands of years,
and their digestive system
is unique.

The whole digestive tract, from lips to
bum, play a part:
•

The lips of a horse are very
sensitive and surprisingly
dexterous, allowing them to
select or reject elements of
its feed, and palatability is

28

and their digestive system

•

important.
Once selected, the mouth plays
an important roll in chewing up
(masticating) the food. Unlike
humans, horses do not salivate
in anticipation of a meal, it is the
chewing action that produces
large quantities of alkaline
saliva, and the more they chew,
the more saliva they produce.
(typically 15L per day on a mixed
ration). The saliva is important
for two reasons. Firstly it
lubricates the food, allowing it to

pass to the stomach. Secondly,
and more importantly, it helps
neutralise the acid in the front
part of the stomach. It takes a
horse 3500 to 4500 chews to
consume 1kg of hay. It takes only
850 chews to consume the same
weight of cereal.

•

Horses are also very prone to
boredom, which is distressing
for them, resulting in increased
stomach acid production, and
behaviour problems. This is

Everything Horse UK Magazine • Issue 13 • October 2014