The equine digestive tract. The wolf teeth are not counted as not all horses have them. Teeth are important in harvesting and chewing feed. The horse's upper jaw is wider than the lower jaw, so sharp points often develop on the molar teeth. These points may prevent normal chewing which reduces the food value received from the feed and may predispose a horse to colic.
Feeds are mixed with saliva in the mouth to make a moist bolus that can be easily swallowed.
Esophagus This is a simple muscular tube that takes food from the mouth to the stomach. Because the muscles in the cardiac sphincter valve leading into the stomach are very strong, it is almost impossible for a horse to vomit. It is more likely that the stomach will rupture in the event of an overconsumption of feed. The natural feeding habit of the horse is to eat small amounts of roughages often. Domestication has brought a change to all this.