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The Digestive System: The Digestive Organ in the Horse is known as the Caecum as the Horse's System is Caecal the same as for Rhinos and Tapirs and is unlike that of the Ruminants. This special Digestive System in Horses breaks down the otherwise indigestible Cellulose of the stems and the leaves. In the Wild, Horses choose the very worst, lowest Protein, and the highest Fibre Roughage when available.

Competition Horses need more Energy then those on Pasture, but it is important to grasp the fact that Horses today do not receive enough Roughage in their diet, receiving instead too much Concentrated and unnatural Food. This creates Behavioural problems, Colic, Gut Ulceration, impaired performance, Laminitis, poor Feed conversion and scouring.

Meadow Hay or Grass Hay is high in roughage and low in Nutrients and is suitable for all Horses, especially Ponies.

Bulky Oaten Hay is useful to feed with high Protein Lucerne Chaff and vice versa, bulky Oaten Chaff with Lucerne Hay. Clover Hay or a mix of Clover and Grass Hay is also a good Hay to feed, but sparingly. N.B: Always ensure that the Clover content is not too high, especially Red Clover as it is dangerous creating heating for some Horses, especially Ponies and also some Mares due to the high Oestrogen content.

*High quality Lucerne Hay can be up to 23% Protein, and care must be taken to ensure balancing the roughage, especially if there is other Protein in the feed.

N.B: Pasture Horses spend 12 - 16 hours a day grazing and 10% walking or running. Most Horses today are denied these activities.

Grass: Digesting the Cellulose Walls require quite a bit of chewing and the ability to cope with the grit that accompanies it, but the Horse's Teeth are adapted to this type of activity. Today many Horses are deprived of this Chewing and its subsequent Saliva production, which is part of the Digestion process and important to the Gastro - Intestinal Tract.

Other influences that can also produce Digestion problems are, high Worm numbers, an imbalance of the Gut Flora, a lack of Exercise, Over Feeding concentrated feeds and Supplements leading to Excess Protein. Added Salt, Sugar, Preservatives, Stabilizers and the overuse of chemical Wormers, synthetically produced Vitamins and Minerals, repeated shocks to the normal Metabolism by excessive administration of antibiotics. Hormones and anti - Inflammatorys especially by Injection, Stress due to confinement / Externally expressed by cribbing, weaving or Wind - Sucking, or Internally leading to Colic, Gut Ulceration, Laminitis, Poisoning, Scouring and Teeth problems.

N.B: From 2 years on all Horse's Teeth should be checked every 6 months.

Fresh natural feeds provide healthy Horses with good Disease resistance.

Most Grains etc. used in commercial Feeds are stale, and include colour enhancers, Emulsifying agents, humectants, flavouring and palabilty enhancers that can damage the natural Metabolism.

N.B: When introducing a New Feeding program do it gradually over about 10 days, while phasing out the Old Feed and introduce the New one a little at a time with roughage always kept high in the diet.

*Feeds such as Bran, Grain, Hay and Chaff and Supplements should be weighed and the Liquids measured. N.B: Hay varies in weight more then Grains and Chaff.

Chaff Dipper: 3 Litres by Volume = 750 grams Oaten / Wheaten Chaff or 1 x Kg Lucerne Chaff.

Saucepan: 2 x Litres by Volume = 1.5 Kg Whole Oats or Barley (Corn is heavier.) and 500 grams Bran.

Enamel Mug / Coffee Mug: 125 grams of Black Sunflower.

Supplements: Using a scoop or spoon they should be weighed on a Scale.

1 x Tablespoon: Seaweed Meal = 12 grams. Dried Chamomile = 2 grams.

Height, Build, Conformation, Type and current Condition must always be taken into consideration with an Average Size Horse: 400 - 450Kg.

+On to Horses - 8.

Situated on the western bank of the Hunter River, midway between Muswellbrook and Denman the doorway to the Heart of Australia's "Horse Capital" in the Hunter Valley in New South Wales., Australia.

John & Sue Markham

RAINBOW FARMS 603 Roxburgh Road., Muswellbrook., 2333.

02 65 479 100 - Fax: 02 65 479 102 E - Mail: www.rainbowfarms@bigpond.com