Diet
An imbalance in an horses digestive system can show up in many ways, it affects hooves, coat, performance, and overall well-being.
When a horse's dietary needs aren't met or their is an excess, one of the first things to suffer is the hooves. When their is an excess of non-structual carbohydrates (NSC), it imbalances the horses digestive system. This causes an abundance of an enzyme called matrix-metalloproteinase(MMP's) which is usually released precisely to allow the hoof-wall to grow pass the internal structures in the hoof. When it has released to much MMP's the coffin bone momentarily looses it's attachment to the hoof-wall and causes horizontal ripples, flaring(stretched white-line), and Founder.
Most people feed horses the exact opposite of their dietary needs. Horses have been fed sweet feed or some form of feed with molasses that's high in sugar. Molasses was never intended to be eaten by horses. They are designed to eat food high in fiber and low in sugar. When we feed our horses diets high in sugar, this raises lactic acid levels to an excess beyond the horse's needs and this in return kills the good bacteria in the hind-gut. This bacteria is the fiber-fermenting bacteria, which is used to digest fiber an essential part of their diet. When this takes place the horse is being starved, even though it's being feed like a cow.
Horses have a small stomach but a large digestive system for constant consumption of food in small quantities. Most people feed around their schedule, which is one, two, three times a day so, in between meals the horse's digestive system has went into starvation mode. In most cases fat horses when given free-choice hay will actually lose weight and vise versa, instead of gain as most would assume. If grain is needed I recommend feeding oats in moderation or feed that's low in non-structural carbohydrates (NSC). Feed manufactures are now providing feed low in NSC's. People always want to supplement their horses just in case it's missing something in it's diet, without knowing. The best thing to do is provide free-choice minerals and salt formulated for horses and let them choose what they need. When practical and natural horse keeping is in place horses are healthier and it's actually more cost efficient.
