What are the best hay options for my horse and how do they affect his nutrition?

Hay and pasture should be the biggest part of a horse's diet and plays a huge role in their overall health. In this post, we will talk about several hay options and discuss how they impact their nutrition, and possibly even their behavior. While I was attending college and since then, I have done extensive research into horse nutrition to be sure I am getting the right types of hay for my horses and my boarders. They each have individual needs, and what may be best for one horse may be different for another. When their nutritional needs are met, you can eliminate unnecessary and expensive supplements that may or may not be helping.

Timothy Hay

Timothy is a common grass hay among horse owners. It is high in fiber content and lower in protein. It is also lower in sugar than other common grass hays. This makes it a good option for horses that have low energy needs, metabolic disorders, or need low NSC (sugar and starch). If your horse is an "easy keeper" this hay may be one of the best options for them.

Orchard Grass

Orchard grass hay is another good option for horses. It is higher in protein and sugar than Timothy. The higher protein content makes it a good option for performance horses or horses that need more calories. This hay is softer than Timothy hay, which also makes it a good option for horses that have dental issues. While higher sugar content isn't ideal, if this is the best hay option for your horse, or if it is all that is available to you, you can soak it for one hour in cold water or half an hour in warm water to lower the sugar content.

Alfalfa Hay

Alfalfa is a legume hay that is very high in protein, which makes it a good choice for performance horses, pregnant mares, young growing horses, and horses that need to gain weight. You may have heard some owners say that it makes their horses hot. This is because it has a higher calorie content and if your horse isn't getting enough exercise, or if they don't need the extra calories, they will have more energy available to them than they need. Because it is higher in energy per pound, you will need to feed a less amount of it compared to a grass hay to achieve similar results.

If your horse has ulcers, feeding a small amount of alfalfa along with grass hay may help them. Alfalfa raises the stomach pH which makes the stomach less acidic and could help reduce the irritation caused by ulcers.

Some horses with metabolic disorders can develop footsoreness from alfalfa. If your horse is slightly off, or shy of walking on gravel, try taking them off alfalfa and see if it makes a difference for them.

Bermuda Grass

Bermuda is a grass hay that is relatively low in protein and sugar and high in fiber, which makes it suitable for horses that do not need a high calorie diet or have metabolic issues. Bermuda grass hay is known to be very palatable which makes it a good option for picky eaters. It is also typically less expensive than other grass hays.

*There is a known risk of colic when feeding Bermuda Hay. The stems are very fine and cause impaction. To reduce this risk it is important that the hay is cut before it reaches a certain maturity level to reduce the amount of stems.

Clover Hay

Clover is a legume hay that is high in sugar and protein. Typically, clover should be avoided. When cut and made into hay it is prone to mold. Red clover causes excess salivation which may not be harmful, but it is quite annoying. High sugars should also be avoided in their diet. Horses never need a high amount of sugar and it can lead to other health issues such as laminitis, thin soles, and excess inflammation throughout their body. If clover hay is what you have available to you, I would suggest soaking it to reduce the sugar content and eliminate any dust.

Conclusion

In summary, when choosing the right hay for your horse, you need to take into consideration their activity level, health conditions, and what makes up the rest of their diet. I find it is best to feed a combination of hays. Legumes should always be fed with a grass hay since they are lower in fiber and don't support hind gut fermentation as much as grass hay.

When purchasing your hay, be sure to check for any mold, excess dust, and foreign objects. You want more leaves than stems. If the hay has any seeds, it was probably cut too mature and will have less nutritional quality.

Please don't hesitate to reach out to me with any questions regarding your horses diet.