Jennifer Little on
Fibre
- On the Line
Next to water, Fibre is arguably the most important nutrient to the horse. Fibre is the ‘leafy’ plant-based material of the
horses’ diet, be that grasses, hay, haylage, or chaffs. The importance of fibre is rooted in the evolution of the horse. It has a digestive system that developed to ingest large volumes of tough plant-based material, in an almost constant or trickle
manner. Bacteria in the hindgut can then digest and convert this fibre to Volatile Fatty Acids, which are absorbed and used for energy.
Fibre is critical for the digestive system,
including gastric (stomach) health. The horse’s
stomach can be divided into two sections.
1. Glandular Region – a mucous layered area, protected against acid
2. Non-Glandular Region – non-mucous layered area, unprotected against
acid
