Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are carbon compounds synthesised by plants from CO2 and water using sunlight, serving as an energy substrate, energy storage substance, or structural substance. A distinction is made between soluble and non-soluble carbohydrates. Sugars of all kinds (e.g. glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, etc.) and starch belong to the soluble carbohydrates.
Non-soluble carbohydrates include fibres of all kinds and degrees of lignification found in grass and hay (roughage). Such non-soluble fibre carbohydrates include, for example, easily digestible hemicelluloses, colon-fermentable celluloses, through to indigestible fibres with a high content of woody substance (lignin). Horses obtain the majority of their energy from fibre. Fibre should make up the greater part of the total feed quantity in equine nutrition.
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