Hay - plays a important role in the horse's diet. Hay makes up 60 to 90% of your horse's diet. The type and quality makes a difference on which feed to select. There are two classes of hay, they are: 

• Grass Hay- Common grass hays are; timothy, orchard grass, brome grass, fescue, oat, and bermuda grass.
  
  
• Legume Hay- Common legumes are; alfalfa, clover, and trefoil. 

Legume Hay
Legumes tend to be higher in protein, energy, calcium, and vitamin A than grass hays. This concentrated source of energy and protein may be an advantage when fed as part of the ration for young, growing horses, lactating mares, and performance horses. However, not all horses need the rich levels of nutrients found in alfalfa. The calcium to phosphorus ratio in alfalfa hay is 3/1 and can be as high a 4/1. A young growing horse requires a ratio between 1/1 or up to 2/1. The ratio in alfalfa hay can lead to developmental bone disease and epiphysitis in young growing horses. If you feed a straight alfalfa hay, you must supplement with a high phosphorus supplement to bring the calcium to phosphorus ratio into a better balance for horses. 

Mixed Mostly Grass Hay
The best hay for horses is a mixture of grass and alfalfa hay. The protein will fall in a range of 9% - 12%, idea for almost categories of horses. The calcium to phosphorus ratio tends to balance out to about 2/1. A high quality mixed mostly grass hay will provide all the nutrition that most pleasure horses need. You would only need to supplement with a grain feed in the winter months when there is no pasture for feed.

Typical Hay Analysis 

Class 

How to select a quality hay

Now that you know what category of hay you are looking for, you need to learn how to select the best quality that is available. Although it may all look the same to the untrained eye, all hay is not alike. The nutritional value varies according to what plants it contains, when it was cut, how it was cured, and how it was stored. Every horseman (woman) should learn how to tell a good hay from bad. There are several factors to consider:

• Date of harvest and stage of maturity: Young plants contain more nutrients than older plants, so early cut hay is most desirable.
  
  

• Color and smell: High quality hay has a green color and a pleasing aroma. Avoid hay that smells musty or moldy: it may have been baled damp or rained on during storage.
  
  

• Leaf to stem ratio: The nutritive value is mainly in leaves, so ample leaves relative to stems indicates quality. Hay that has the coarseness of straw is indicative of a hay cut past maturity and of low protein, energy, and high in fiber. 
  
  

• Foreign matter content: Good hay is free from weeds, dust, and other materials not suitable for horses.

Weather and Hay: Our weather plays a major role in when the farmer can harvest hay. If at harvest time, the weather doesn't cooperate, such as the summer of 2000 when we had wet, rainy weather, the harvesting of hay gets pushed back until the weather conditions improve. The farmer needs three days of dry weather after he cuts the hay, for it to cure, then he can bale it. This is not always possible so the farmer is forced to wait until the weather improves, sometimes that means the hay is cut past maturity. 

What to do?  If you find that your hay is of poor quality, don't feed more hay to try and make up the difference. Why would you want to feed more of something that is bad? You should feed less hay. Then pick a horse feed that will make up for what is lacking in your hay. You will need to pick a feed with a higher protein and energy level. Blue Seal makes many feeds that will help balance a poor quality hay. Blue Seal has a product called 'Hay Stretcher Pellets' that works well to supplement a poor quality hay. If you need help in selecting a feed or need advice in which feed to use, just give us a call at (716) 652-4321 with your questions. We will be happy to assist you.

Back to top