* Stomach Structure: Ruminants have a complex four-chamber stomach (rumen, reticulum, omasum, abomasum). Horses, on the other hand, have a simple, single-chamber stomach.
* Digestive Process: Ruminants chew their food, swallow it, and then regurgitate it back to their mouth for further chewing (chewing the cud). This allows them to break down cellulose in plant matter more effectively. Horses do not regurgitate their food.
* Diet: Ruminants primarily eat grasses and other fibrous plant matter, which they can efficiently digest. While horses eat grass, they are also more likely to include grains and other more easily digestible foods in their diet.
* Hindgut Fermentation: Horses are hindgut fermenters, meaning they digest most of their food in their large intestines. Ruminants have a significant amount of fermentation in their rumen.
In summary: Horses lack the complex stomach structure and digestive process associated with ruminants. They are hindgut fermenters, which distinguishes them from ruminants.