Nutrition for Maximum Performance

 

HOW TO TAKE THE COURSE

 

 

 

          Hello, and welcome to your online course:  Nutrition for Maximum Performance.

Your instructor for this course is Eleanor Richards.

You can reach her by e-mail at: elrichards@thewayofhorses.com

          You are now on a special link which allows you to view, save or download the lesson.   At the end of the lesson you will take a little quiz.  You can complete the quiz online and simply click “submit” to send your quiz to your instructor.

          To achieve the best results, read each lesson at least twice.  If you have a specific question, or you don’t understand the material, contact your instructor for clarification.  Don’t let your questions go unanswered; one of the advantages of online courses is that your instructor can work with you one-on-one to be sure you understand the information being presented.

          This course does not require that you work with a horse, but after reading some of the lesson, it is a good idea to go out and observe a horse or horses and practice the techniques you are learning—if that is possible.  Try to see the things being discussed, and how they work.  Observation is one of the greatest keys to success whether training, trading, feeding, or examining for general health.   Look and work with your horse and look at other horses—but when watching them perform, see more than the surface—see the movements, see the personality, see the strengths and weaknesses of each individual.  And then try to apply some of the things you have just been reading to the horse with which you are working.  This is the best way to reinforce your understanding and assure your success.

          Your instructor will grade your quiz and send an e-mail to you with comments and suggestions.   You will not receive the link for the next lesson until your instructor is satisfied you have mastered the preceding lesson.

          When you receive your next lesson link, study that lesson just as you have the preceding lesson.

          You may or may not be working toward a Professional Designation in Horse Training, but when each course is completed, you will receive a certificate of recognition.   All Success Is Easy course instructors are experts in their field.  They are proud of their accomplishments and their reputations, so they are demanding of you.  They want to assure your success by making certain you have as good an education as possible.   They want to be as proud of you as you will be of yourself.

          When you receive your certificate or Professional Designation you will know that you have the knowledge which empowers success.  You can be certain that your work with horses will be of benefit both to the horses and to other horsemen.  

         

 


Nutrition for Maximum Performance

By Eleanor Richards

Copyright © 2003

 

 

 

 

                            LESSON ONE

 

 

 

       UNDERSTANDING THE EQUINE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

 

 

 

         The equine digestive system is like a disassembly plant.  It takes feed (forage, concentrates, supplements, water) and breaks them down into a form the body can utilize.

 

         There are two methods of processing: mechanical and chemical.  The equipment used are the organs that make up the digestive tract.

 

         Mechanical processing starts in the horse’s mouth as he uses his lips to sort and choose the desired feed.  While grazing he will use his incisor teeth to bite off the grass.  The tongue then moves the material back to the molar teeth where it is chewed and swallowed.  The stomach continues to break down food with a churning action.

 

         Chemical processing is present through out the digestive tract.  It starts with the salvia in the horse’s mouth and ends in the large intestine.  Bacteria, enzymes, and other substances are used to release   the nutrients needed by the horse.

 

         Horses are non-ruminant herbivores – they eat plants, but do not have a rumen.  Animals with a rumen (cows, sheep, and goats) swallow the feed directly into a fermentation vat, the rumen, where it is broken down by bacteria.  It is then regurgitated and chewed again before being re-swallowed.  But, horses are hindgut fermenters.  The feed a horse eats goes through the chemical and enzyme process before it is fermented in the hindgut.  Horses do not chew a cud.  This method of digestion is the reason horses need plenty of good quality fiber.

 

         The best way to learn about the equine digestive system is to follow a meal, as it is broke down and processed.

 

 

 

SALIVA

         Once the horse has gathered the food into his mouth he begins to chew.  The chewing action stimulates three pairs of salivary glands – the parotid, the submaxillary, and the sublingual.  A horse will produce 5 to 10 gallons of saliva per day.

 

         If a horse does not get enough chew-time the feed is not moistened sufficiently.  Senior horses or horses that bolt their feed can have problems with the feed causing an obstruction in the esophagus (choke).

 

 

TEETH 

         The teeth are very important to the health of the horse.  Many nutrition problems start here, so an understanding of the healthy equine mouth is important.

 

         By the time a foal is a week old he will have 4 incisor teeth – 2 on the top and 2 on the bottom, these will be in the center.  In another week the second set of incisors will come in and by 6 months of age the corner incisors will be in.  Also, the pre-molars will be coming in at about the age of 2 weeks.  There will be 6 pre-molars top and bottom. So, by the time the foal is 6 months of age he will have all his baby teeth, a total of 24 teeth.

 

         The baby teeth, or caps, will start to shed by the age of 2 ˝ years.  The erupting permanent teeth will shove the caps out of the way.  You may find them in the feed box.  There are times when the caps will not be pushed out and this can lead to problems.  An equine dentist or veterinarian will need to remove the cap, so the permanent tooth will come in properly.

  

         Most adult mares will have 36 teeth and males can have 38 to 40.  The extra teeth males have are called canine teeth.  Mares do not usually get them and if they do they will be very small.  Canine teeth will not erupt until 4 to 5 years of age.

 

         A type of tooth that may cause problems is a wolf tooth.  They are found in front of the molars.  Wolf teeth do not serve any purpose.  They may interfere with the bit.  Many equine dentists and veterinarians re-commend they be removed.  They have short roots and are easily extracted.  Wolf teeth usually erupt between the age of 12 and 18 months. 

 

         The upper jaw is wider than the lower jaw and at rest the back teeth do not meet.  As a horse chews his lower jaw moves side to side and this action causes the teeth to grind together.  This grinding action causes the teeth to wear away.  Below the surface of the gum-line is almost 4 inches of tooth, which erupts continuously as the exposed surface wears away.  So, by the time a horse is in his twenties the amount of tooth left to erupt is a lot less than a horse that is 4 years old.

 

         Routine dental examination is important to how well a horse will utilize his feed.  If all works well the teeth will wear away evenly, but that is rarely the case.  Malocclusion, a term used to describe when teeth do not meet properly can occur.

 

         Overtime, points (sharp edges) can develop on the inside of the lower teeth and the outside of the upper teeth.  These sharp edges inhibit the side-to-side movement of the lower jaw and soon the horse has lost the full range of the chewing action.  These points are also very sharp and can lacerate the inside of the mouth and side of the tongue.  Horses will pack material between the teeth and cheek to try to pad the sore area.  An equine dentist or veterinarian will “float” or file off these points.  This procedure does not hurt, because the adult equine tooth does not have nerves or blood supply.

 

         A missing tooth can also cause problems.  The corresponding tooth continues to erupt, but is not being wore off. Soon it is sticking above the rest of the arcade of teeth and the horse cannot chew properly. This tooth will need to be filed on a regular basis to prevent malocclusion.

 

         The type of feed the horse eats will also affect the wear of his teeth.  A horse that has a diet of only pellets or complete feed without any long stem fiber will have uneven wear of teeth.   A horse that eats this type of diet or only hay will also develop long incisors.  Because he is not nipping grass off with his incisors they can become long, which prevents the molars from grinding the feed properly.

 

         Malocclusion can also be a genetic problem.  Horses with inherited tooth problems will need to be monitored regularly and offered feed they can utilize.

 

         Once the food has been chewed and softened with salvia the horse swallows.

 

 

ESOPHAGUS

         The esophagus is a muscular tube that leads to the stomach.  The length is about 50 inches for an average sized horse.

 

         Choke, an obstruction of the esophagus, is a feed related concern.  A horse that bolts his grain or does not have enough salvia to soften the feed can get the dry material stuck in his esophagus.  Also, a horse that has tried to swallow a corncob or other large object can develop this problem.  As the horse continues to eat the feed cannot pass by the obstruction and the material builds up in the esophageal tube.

 

         The symptoms of a horse choking are frequent attempts to swallow, stretching out of the neck, excessive salivation, and feed material mixed with saliva coming out of the nose.  A veterinarian should be called immediately as severe damage to the esophagus can result.  Unlike humans, horses can still breathe while choking, but immediate care is still needed.

 

         Choke can be avoided. A horse that bolts his feed should have several large rocks placed in his feeder. He will need to move them around to eat his ration. A horse that has an inflamed esophagus or does not have enough moisture to break down the feed should be provided with a feed that can be pre-soaked.  This will aid in the passage of the feed to the stomach.  Soaking the feed should also be done for seniors or horses that have tooth problems which result in them not being able to chew properly.  Avoid feeding horses large pieces of apples, carrots, cubes, and other items.

 

         A unique feature of the equine esophagus is the very strong cardiac sphincter valve.  This valve is located where the esophagus joins the stomach and prevents food from being regurgitated. It also prevents horses from burping.  The horse’s stomach will usually rupture before this valve allows the material to be regurgitated.  This results in death and is why feed must be of the quality and quantity the horse can handle.

 

 

STOMACH

         The stomach of the horse is very small in relationship to the size of the horse.  It only makes up 8-10% of the capacity of the digestive system.  The average horse’s stomach will only hold about 4 ˝ gallons and is about the size of a football.   The stomach breaks food down mechanically and chemically.

 

         There are four sections to the equine stomach: the esophageal section, the cardiac section, the fundic section, and the pyloric section.  The oesophageal is basically a storage area and no digestive action takes place here.  The cardiac section produces mucous used to coat the stomach and protect it from acidic secretions.  The pyloric section produces pepsin enzymes, gastric lipase enzymes, and hydrochloric acid.  The stomach has an overall low pH level, but the pyloric section is highly acidic.

 

         Most of the digestion, which occurs in the stomach, takes place in the pyloric section.  Pepsin breaks down protein into amino acids, which can then be utilized by the horse.  The feed is also mixed with hydrochloric acid and bacteria that produces lactic acid. These stomach secretions do not break down fiber, so very little forage is digested in the stomach.

 

         The muscles in the stomach uses rhythmic contractions called peristalsis.  This mechanical action helps break down feed into smaller particles.

 

         The design of the equine stomach is such that a horse needs small frequent meals.  It fills quickly and empties quickly.  Feed usually only remains in the stomach for about 20 minutes.  Ulcers can result if the stomach is allowed to become empty.

 

         Feeding a horse too much grain at one feeding causes the excess to be pushed into the small intestine before the digestive juices have a chance to break it down.  Colic will be the result.

 

         The pyloric sphincter is located where the stomach joins the small intestine.  Once the meal is broken down the valve relaxes and the feed passes through to the small intestine.

 

 

SMALL INTESTINE

         The small intestine is a tube that measures about 70 feet in an average sized horse.  Its capacity is approximately 15 gallons.  Most of the nutrients from the grain portion of the diet are absorbed in the small intestine.

 

         The breakdown of these nutrients relies on chemicals secreted by the pancreas, liver, and intestinal mucosa.  Pancreatic enzymes help digest the feed.  Because the horse has no gallbladder, bile is constantly flowing in from the liver.  Bile breaks down fat.  The available nutrients are then absorbed through the walls of the intestines.

 

         Feed passes very quickly through the small intestine.  In as little as an hour some types of feed will have moved through.  However, it usually takes up to 8 hours for most of the feed to reach the end of the small intestine.  It is very important to the health of the horse that soluble carbohydrates are absorbed in the small intestine.  If they reach the large intestine fermentation can occur which will result in gas and colic.  To avoid overloading the small intestine small frequent meals are strongly recommended. 

 

         Starch, complex sugars, protein from the grain portion of the diet, fat, fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, and E), and most minerals are absorbed in the small intestine.  Protein from roughage, fiber, and phosphorus is not digested well in the small intestine.

 

         The small intestine consists of three sections: the duodenum, the jejunum, and the ileum.

 

         The duodenum prepares the food for absorption by mixing it with enzymes and chemicals. Very little of the nutrients are utilized here.

 

         The jejunum is the longest portion of the small intestine.  Most of the nutrients from the grain part of the diet are absorbed in the jejunum.  Lining the inside of the intestinal wall are tiny projections called villi.  The villi absorb the nutrients, which are now molecules and allow them to be utilized by the horse.

 

         The ileum is the last section of the small intestine.  The absorption of water and water-soluble vitamins takes place here. 

 

         The insoluble carbohydrates (fiber), any starch, or other material that was not utilized in the small intestine now moves on to the large intestine.

 

 

LARGE INTESTINE

         The large intestine is 25 to 30 feet long in an average sized horse.  It has the largest capacity of the equine digestive system at approximately 20 to 30 gallons.  Feed will remain in the large intestine for about 48 to 65 hours.

 

         Digestion of insoluble carbohydrates takes place in the large intestine.  Protein from the fiber portion of the diet is utilized.  Phosphorus is absorbed.  Any starch that was not digested in the small intestine will be worked on by microbes – which can cause gas and colic.  Some B vitamins and vitamin K will be synthesized in the large intestine. (Definition of synthesis: the combining of parts to form a whole.) 

 

         There are five sections that make up the large intestine: the cecum, the large colon, the transverse colon, the descending colon (small colon), and the rectum.

 

         The cecum is a fermentation vat.  It has been described as a comma shaped organ. The cecum is about 4 feet in length and has a normal capacity of approximately 8 gallons.  The size can vary according to the quality of roughage being fed to the horse.  The entrance and exit openings are both located at the top of the cecum.  This can cause problems resulting in colic if the organ becomes compacted with non-digested material.  Most feed remains in the cecum for about 7 hours.

 

         Within the cecum are microbes that aid in the digestion of cellulose, fiber, and any remaining soluble carbohydrates.  These microbes are somewhat specific as to what they digest.  If a drastic feed change occurs the balance of the bacteria and protozoa is disrupted and colic can result.  Any change of feed (concentrates or forage) must be made over a period of about 3 weeks, so the microbe population can adjust.

 

         A horse that has a hay belly is the result of an expanded cecum.  Poor quality fiber has accumulated in the cecum and can remain there for up to 72 hours.  Switching to less mature hay will be more beneficial to the horse and prevent a hay belly from developing.

 

     The cecum then leads to the large colon.  The opening leading from the cecum to the large colon is about a 3-4 cm hole.  It is a prime spot for blockages to occur.

 

         The large colon is approximately 20 feet long and is shaped like a horseshoe.  Microbial digestion continues in the large colon.  Any remaining vitamins, fatty acids, and water are absorbed.

 

         The large colon is made up of 5 segments (listed in the order in which the feed travels): the right ventral colon, the left ventral colon, the pelvic flexure, the left dorsal colon, and the right dorsal colon.  The large colon folds back on itself several times and is held in place by the bulk, which it contains.  At several points the colon narrows and blockages can occur in these narrow passageways. 

 

         The design of the large intestine requires plenty of good quality forage

 be available to the horse.  If the colon becomes empty the chances of it becoming twisted increases.

 

         The remaining material then travels through the transverse colon and into the descending colon (small colon).  The transverse colon is a very narrow tube and another primary spot for blockages.

 

         The descending colon uses contractions (peristalsis) which results in fecal balls forming.  Any remaining moisture is also extracted in the small colon.  It measures about 12 feet long and is very narrow at about 3-4 inches in diameter.  The small colon is also free to move and can become twisted.

 

         The descending colon then leads to the rectum.  The rectum is a short straight tube and acts as a storage area for the fecal balls until the horse expels them.

 

                   

         

 

Click Here to take the Quiz