Never Exercise Your Horse on an Empty Stomach...Ever!
Why?
Fiber creates a mat of sorts which prevents acid splashing in the stomach. The equine stomach produces acid 24 hours a day (16 gallons!) in preparation for constant uptake and begins to empty in as little as 15-20 minutes. Chewing activates saliva production (an alkaline substance rich in bicarbonate), which buffers gastric acid. An empty stomach allows unbuffered gastric acid to slosh and bathe its lining causing discomfort and may induce ulcers. (Learn more about how forage helps buffer gastric acid and prevent ulcers.)
How Slow Fed Free Choice Forage Assists in Colic Prevention
Additional Benefit of Free Choice Forage: Hydration
Take Home Message
Hay Pillow Product Suggestions
Helpful How-to Resources for Slow Feeding
- Sand Colic - The Surprising (Simple) Cure & Prevention
- Can Horses Eat More Hay Without Weight Gain? The Surprising Factors
- How to Introduce & Incorporate Free-Choice Forage: A Detailed Action Plan
- Slow Feed Solutions for Any Environment
- 6 Great Reasons to Feed Your Horse from Ground Level
- 9 Benefits of Slow Feeding Horses
- 7 Slow Feed Dos and Dont's for Horses
- 7 Easy Ways to Help Prevent Colic
- Why You Shouldn't Transport Horses On An Empty Stomach
- Keeping Horses Warm Naturally – Internally and Externally
- Why Most Horse Prefer to Eat Outside