Is free-choice forage really that important?
Yes. Unlike dogs, cats, and other predatory mammals who are designed to fast between large meals, horses are grazing herbivores and must continually take in small quantities of roughage throughout the day and night in order for the body to function properly. An equine stomach is divided into two sections that work in perfect harmony. The bottom section is glandular and secretes hydrochloric acid and pepsin, and so has a tough lining to safely hold the stomach acids. The upper section of the stomach is designed to function only as the “mixing bowl”, so the lining is soft and very easily burned. When the stomach is left empty for long periods of time- which in horse language translates to four to six hours- the acid from the lower section is allowed to rise into the unprotected top section, contributing to the development of ulcers, potentially fatal colic, and a myriad of digestive disorders. Grazing, however, buffers the acids in the stomach, preventing them from coming in contact with
