sudden change in horse diet - colic

Question
hello ma'am, if there is a sudden change in the fodder, forage and supplements, why horses are struck by colic?

Answer
Hi Rohit,

Thank you for your question.  The common belief is that changing a horse's grain should be done gradually to prevent digestive upset...but the truth is that grain is digested by enzymes that are secreted into the stomach at a consistent rate irregardless of the kind of grain fed.  So really, changing grains can be done relatively quickly (although I do suggest phasing in high fat supplements).  Forages, on the other hand, are fermented in the hindgut by bacteria whose type and populations present depend on the type of forage fed.  If you change the type of forage fed, the horse's cecum needs time to grow a new type and population of bacteria specific to the new forage...and so new forages should be phased into the diet gradually.  Sudden changes in forage type can lead to colic, as the horse is unable to properly and fully ferment the new forage in the first few days of feeding.

Thanks, Corlena