Occasionally, a horse may experience a medical condition related to the digestive system known as impaction. When this happens, the impaction needs to be cleared. Due to the sheer size of the digestive system, however, that is often easier said than done.
By Dr. Haley
How big is a horse's digestive tract?
Have you ever wondered what the inside of a horse’s digestive tract looks like? The pictures below demonstrate how large and encompassing their digestive tract truly is. The largest portion, the large intestine, is approximately 45% of their entire digestive tract.
You may be wondering if your vet can fix an impaction by pulling out the poop during a rectal. Sadly, that is just not possible.
Visual Representation of the Horse's Digestive System
Left Image:
- Pink: Stomach, which continues into intestines
- Blue: Spleen
- Purple & Orange: Colon
- Yellow: Small colon into the rectum
Right Image:
- Pink: Stomach
- Purple & Orange: Colon
- Dark Green: Cecum