Oats are a good source of beta-glucan, which is a polysaccharide that has numerous health benefits for horses. Beta-glucan boosts beneficial gut microflora, lowers insulin resistance and reduces blood sugar fluctuations and slows the rate of passage of hard feed through the GI system allowing greater enzymatic digestion of starch in the small intestine, thus reducing the risk of hindgut acidosis.
Oats are highly palatable for horses, so are a good choice of feed for enticing fussy horses to eat, or for horses being introduced to hard feed after previously living only on pasture and/or hay.