A trotting horse with a sulky. Photo.
The study showed that the concentration of several substances clearly changed when a group of trotting horses in training switched their diet between a starch-rich (oat) diet and a diet without any starch (just forage). Photo: Sofie Maurer

How starchy concentrated feed affects horses' metabolism

Page reviewed:  08/04/2026

Horses' metabolism is affected by whether they are fed a diet with or without starch, a new study from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) shows. Differences between diets can have an impact on health, performance and behavior, according to researchers behind the study.

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