Raw materials —
24 September 2025
Sugar and starch, how do they affect your horse?
When putting together a low-carbohydrate diet for your horse, it is important to consider not only the sugar content of both concentrates and forage, but also the starch content of the total ration.
Too much starch in the diet can cause digestive problems. When undigested starch reaches the large intestine, it can disrupt the bacterial population. This leads to toxins being produced, which may result in laminitis. Excess sugar and starch in the ration can also contribute to obesity, insulin resistance, tying-up, and colic.
Energy source
It is important to pay attention to the sugar and starch levels in horse feed. However, it is a misconception that sugar and starch are inherently bad. Just like us, horses naturally need sugars as an energy source. Too much sugar and starch is of course never desirable, but the right levels depend on the specific needs of your horse or pony.
Hardy breeds
Because of their highly efficient digestion, hardy breeds in particular are less able to cope with an excess of sugar and starch. These breeds utilize the nutrients from forage more effectively than others. For such horses, a diet low in sugar and starch is highly desirable. Voermeesters Efficiënt has been specially developed for hardy breeds. This 10 mm pellet contains low levels of starch and sugar, combined with an extra-high concentration of vitamins, minerals, and trace elements.
Heavy exercise
A low sugar and starch content is therefore not suitable for all horses. For horses that need to perform at a higher level (such as in top-level sport), sugar and starch are important energy sources. A sport pellet contains higher levels than a basic pellet. When your horse is engaged in heavy excersice, a feed with additional energy sources is the right choice. For this purpose, you can use Voermeesters Sport Triomf. This pellet has been specially developed for horses and ponies that need to deliver intense performance. It ensures they lack nothing and are able to perform at their very best.