by Molly Sorge
A high-performance horse is an athlete at the top of his game. Like an engine, his body needs fuel to run efficiently and at its optimal performance level, and digestible energy is that fuel.
In addition to digestible energy—the usable portion of the total energy in the diet—an owner must balance a number of other nutrients to power the horse to compete.
A horse’s activity level and body processes dictate his energy needs. A grazing horse receives a constant low-level source of energy from the forage (grasses, hay) he consumes throughout the day—enough to maintain body condition and provide energy for daily activities such as eating, drinking, walking, and reathing. So a horse with minimal work demands does quite well on a forage-heavy diet that’s relatively
low in digestible energy and high in fiber. Horses digest this fiber in the large intestine, in a fermenting process that breaks down the fiber sources.
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