Types of Gut Sounds
The small and large intestines (hindgut) are the primary areas for digestion of the food mass, with the voluminous hindgut providing a
reserve of up to 60 litres of water trapped in the fibrous bulk as a fluid replenishment store to offset dehydration during exercise.
The large intestine is also a valuable “heat sink” during and following exercise to store excess heat diverted from the muscle mass via the
blood to prevent muscle damage in horses as they generate large amounts of heat during exercise.
If a horse is becoming dehydrated and depleted in electrolytes and is unable to maintain adequate and effective cooling by sweat loss and
evaporation from the body surface or exchange of heat from the lung surface during respiration, excessheat is stored in the ‘heat sink’ in
the 50-60 litres of water held for efficient fermentation and a reserve against dehydration in the fibrous “sponge”in the hindgut.