An experiment was conducted to evaluate how cracking, grinding or steam processing affects starch digestibility of corn, using glycemic response as an indirect measure of prececal starch digestibility.

A 6 x 6 Latin square design experiment was conducted to determine glycemic response in horses fed six different feeds at 3 different levels of intake. Six Thoroughbred geldings were fed mixed grass hay and one of six diets: cracked corn, whole oats, sweet feed (45% cracked corn, 45% whole oats, and 10% molasses), sweet feed + 10% corn oil, alfalfa forage, or a low starch, high fermentable fiber mix (25% rice bran, 25% soy hulls, 25% wheat bran, and 25% soaked beet pulp).

Staniar, W. B, J. A. Wilson, L. A. Lawrence, W. L. Cooper, D. S. Kronfeld and P. A. Harris. 1999. Growth of Thoroughbreds fed different levels of protein and supplemented with lysine and threonine. In: Proc 16th Equine Nutrition and Physiology Society. Raleigh, NC. pp. 88 – 89. More details…

Harris, PA, JD Pagan, KG Crandell. 1998. Effect of feeding Thoroughbreds a high unsaturated or saturated vegetable oil supplemented diet for 6 months following a 10 month fat acclimatization diet. Proc. 5th International Conference on Equine Exercise Physiology. Utsunomiya, Japan.

Recent research demonstrated that feeding supplemented fat to Thoroughbred horses altered blood glucose and insulin levels compared to grain based diet and these changes influenced substrate selection during a standardized exercise test. It is unknown whether or not feeding time of the high fat diets would alter blood glucose and insulin response.

Lawrence, L. A., R. M. Hoffman and D. S. Kronfeld. 1998. Chemical and mechanical properties of equine third metacarpals as affected by age and nutrition. In: Proc. 17th Assn. Equine Sports Med. Leesburg, VA. pp.25 -32.

Although it is widely asserted by horse owners that diet affects the tractability of horses, there have been controlled studies of this subject. A preliminary trial was conducted to investigate the effects of diet and exercise on the behavior of four stabled horses.

Four conditioned Thoroughbred geldings were used in a 2×2 factorial design to investigate the effect of exercise and diet on apparent nutrient digestibility.

Crandell KM, JD Pagan, PA Harris and SE Duren. 1998. A comparison of grain, vegetable oil and beet pulp as energy sources for the exercised horse. Proc. 5th International Conference on Equine Exercise Physiology. Utsunomiya, Japan.

A common question asked regarding feeding the performance horse is when should the horse be fed hay relative to grain and exercise. Should the horse receive hay before, with or after a grain meal.