only bran to horses

Question
hello ma'am. at what situations, should the trainer feed only bran mixed with water to horses rather than including grains?

Answer
Hello Caine,

Thank you for your question.  Bran and grains are two vastly different feed ingredients, with different purposes in a ration.  Traditionally horse owners use bran in a horse's diet in the hopes of mitigating the risk of impaction colic.  The theory is that bran has a laxative effect.  In reality, its the water mixed with bran that provides some protection against impactions and not the bran itself, as brand does not have the same effect on a horse's digestive system as it does in humans. Cereal grains provide a source of energy in the diet, and would be fed to increase the ration's energy density. A trainer's decision of what to feed and when should be based on a horse's needs.

Thanks, Corlena