The increased attention given to equine nutritional issues during the last 6–7 years by research groups around the world, has prompted me to revise the 2nd edition of this book. The preparation of this edition entailed the careful reading of the previous edition and with it the embarrassing discovery of a few errors, including one or two in equations, which I have now corrected.
It has been necessary to revise all chapters and other sections, some to a greater extent than others. The increased understanding of gastrointestinal tract function has led to a considerable number of changes to Chapters 1 and 2. The volume of work that has been undertaken with regard to skeletal growth and development (Chapters 7 and 8) has partly explained the mechanisms involved in endochondral ossification, but the story is incomplete. Work has been undertaken into the causes of several metabolic diseases (Chapter 11), but as yet their aetiology is obscure. The role of calcium in bone formation has been understood for many years, yet recent evidence has required that dietary needs be revised (Chapter 3). A similar situation has arisen with several vitamins and other minerals/trace minerals to which reference is made in Chapters 3 and 4. A brief account of several novel feeds, supplements and toxins is given and this has led to the extension of Chapter 5. Exercise physiology has continued to interest many research groups so that Chapters 6 and 9 have been revised. This has included a summary of procedures adopted, both historically and today, to measure energy consumption. Novel acronyms and terms have invaded scientific speech for which textual definitions are given.
A note on nomenclature: EC numbers have been used throughout when referring to specific enzymes. More detailed information about this system may be found in Chapter 12, p. 488. Finally, I trust that an immanent characteristic of this 3rd edition is as a source reference for each of the more recent and important pieces of evidence in each of the areas covered. This may assist research workers and provide students with what I hope is a useful brief account upon which they might base their future activities;

but I must pay tribute to the authors of the papers upon which these pages have depended. Whereas valid disagreements in the literature have been aired, an eclectic set of references has, I hope, been distilled into a readable and comprehensible  discourse.