The horse's digestive system is susceptible to impaction, twisting and other types of colic. Colic can result from the formation of gaseous products derived from microbial fermentation. If large amounts of soluble carbohydrates, such as starch, reach the microorganisms in the hindgut, large amounts of gaseous compounds are produced. Since these gases are being produced faster than they can be absorbed or released, swelling occurs. This swelling can, and often does, cause the horse to develop colic.