Wednesday, November 11, 2009

 

For animals of such size and strength, horses possess notoriously delicate digestive systems. With stomachs that barely comprise 7% of their digestive tract, horses need to graze almost continuously in order for them to take in the necessary nutrients. Horses are foragers by nature and when in the wild often journey up to 20 miles per day in order to find suitable nourishment. Domesticated horses, however, are most times not able to roam and for-age at will. Often confined to small areas and fed according to our schedule, horses have now become susceptible to a variety of abdominal disturbances.