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The Three Sources of Energy
Energy can be supplied by:
- carbohydrates
- fats
- protein (not an efficient source of energy)
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Non-Structural Soluble Carbohydrates (Starches and Sugars)
Starches (grain) and sugars provide immediate energy when a horse needs it because they quickly convert to glucose in the small intestine. Glucose can be used immediately or stored in the muscles as glycogen (stored energy).
Glucose and glycogen are the fuels needed for a "quick punch" (crucial for high-intensity, short-duration exercise, such as sprinting, barrel racing and cutting—anaerobic activity). Muscle glycogen stores can be almost completely depleted during endurance exercise, such as a 50-70 mile or longer race.
As well, repeated hard efforts will deplete a substantial portion of glycogen stores—these stores must be replenished through proper feeding management.
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Horses benefit from both kinds of fiber.
Digestible (fermentable) fiber can be an energy source. But some fiber is indigestible and just passes on through the horse’s digestive system. Think of indigestible fiber as a broom that sort of sweeps the system clean. Just as indigestible fiber is associated with good colon health in humans, it can be associated with hindgut health in horses.
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Fermentable fibers are also carbohydrates, but they are digested differently than starch and sugar. Digestible fiber is fermented by the microbes in the horse’s hindgut into volatile fatty acids (VFA’s), which are then absorbed. These VFA’s are a source of energy for less intense, longer duration activity—aerobic activity.
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Fats (Fatty Acids)
Fats are excellent sources of energy. Fats contain more than twice the calories per pound than either carbohydrates or protein, so adding fat to the diet allows the horse to ingest more calories in a smaller quantity of feed.
Vegetable fats are important in the equine diet because they improve stamina and endurance and delay the onset of fatigue.
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Fats: Concentrated Energy
Fats and oils contain three times the digestible energy of an equal amount of oats and 2.5 times the energy of corn.
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A diet with higher fat and fiber also helps "smooth" a horse’s energy level by blunting glucose and insulin responses to meals high in starch and sugar. Because such diets level out the blood sugar concentrations (eliminating peaks and valleys), this may also provide a "calming effect."
It’s important to note that adding fat to a horse’s diet will not increase the risk of digestive disturbances, such as colic, that can occur with a high starch (grain) diet.
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Protein
Protein is not an efficient source of energy for a horse. In fact, the horse actually has to expend energy to convert excess amino acids into energy.
However, this is not to say that horses don’t need protein. Quite the contrary, essential amino acids (the building blocks of protein) are used to replenish body tissue after exercise in the athletic horse and to generate muscles, hair and hooves in the growing horse.
ARTICLES
Carbohydrates
Dietary Fiber
Energy Needs
Energy
Fats
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Amino Acids
Amino acids (the building blocks of protein) are not only essential for growth, but also for rebuilding tissue damage resulting from vigorous exercise. Essential amino acids, like lysine and methionine, cannot be synthesized by the horse, so they must be supplied in the diet. Protein in hay and grain may be deficient in essential amino acids. If high quality protein is lacking, the horse will not have adequate amino acids for proper growth and tissue repair.
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