ABSTRACT
Horses do best when they are fed the same amount of the same kind of good quality feed at the same time every day. A little boring perhaps, but very healthy. Colic is by far the leading cause of death in the horse society. More horses die from colic than from all other diseases added together. An important disease of the respiratory system which, may be feed-related is heaves, also called "emphysema" but better termed "chronic bronchiolitis." In youngsters, feed-related problems most affect the musculoskeletal system. Epiphysitis, contracted tendons and osteochondrosis have increased in number far faster than the population. Osteochondrosis is a disease of young animals in which there is delayed and imperfect maturation of cartilage into bone. This defect may be recognized by joint swelling. A very serious problem, enterotoxemia, occurs in young horses fed in groups. The largest and most aggressive foals eat two shares. They may be okay at feeding time and found dead shortly after.
