How To Choose The Best Hay For Your Horse

Chances are that every horse owner that you talk to about hay will give you a differing opinion about what the best kind of hay is. If you asked ten different horse owners, you would probably end up with ten different answers. There are so many different options when it comes to buying hay that it can be confusing. You should base your final choice of hay on your horse’s age and nutritional requirements. If you don’t know much about these, you can find out from talking with your veterinarian. You should also consider what the activity level is of the horse. For instance, a mature horse will eat up to 2.5 percent of its body weight per day, whereas a horse that weighs 1000 pounds would probably eat a minimum of ten pounds of hay per day.

Most horses follow a natural instinct to graze continuously. Constant grazing is not healthy. As a horse owner, you will learn that one way to ease the desire to nibble constantly is to provide your horse with high quality grain. There are many different choices of hay, including grasses or legumes (alfalfa and clover are two classic types of legume). You can also buy hay that is a combination of these. There are many important factors involved in choosing the right hay, including nutritional value, whether or not your horse will enjoy the content, soil conditions, different plant species, moisture content, harvest time and method of storage.

For young growing horses, lactating mares and performance horses you will probably opt for legumes, as these are higher in protein, calcium, vitamins and energy than most common grass hays. Not all horses will benefit from the richness of alfalfa. You may want to consider a mix of alfalfa and grasses. Another choice is alfalfa that has been harvested earlier in the plants stage of maturity. Horses that get too much nutrients early on may be predisposed to developmental bone disease, so be careful with the grass mix you choose. Hay with a high mineral content will have your horse drinking more water. That means that you should be prepared for frequent stall cleanings.

For adult horses, grass hays are a smart choice because they are lower in protein and energy and higher in fiber. This is a potent combination that helps to curb a horse's appetite and provide them with the necessary roughage thus ensuring your horse gets the right amount of calories and protein. You may want to add a fortified grain concentrate so that your horse receives the right amount of crude protein. Common grasses that are mixed for adult hay include brome, Timothy, brome and oat.

Most people tend to evaluate hay based on how it feels, smells and looks. However, this type of evaluation may miss out on some important considerations that are valuable to your horse's nutritional needs. Make sure to look inside one of the bales that your hay comes from. You job is to find the best quality hay. If it happens to smell damp, moldy or fermented, leave it alone. Take a close look at the leaves, stems, flowers or seedpods for signs of maturity. Avoid any hay that has excess dirt, debris or weeds. When buying alfalfa, examine for beetles. You should also look out for excessive moisture. Bales that appear excessively heavy or warm to the touch should be avoided.

Finding hay that is free of dust and particles can be quite a challenge. Dust in hay usually stems from mold spores, not from dusty environs. Horses fed with hay that is heavy with dust can easily cause allergies and inflammation in the respiratory tract. Prolonged exposure to your horse can even develop damage to their lungs. Remember that hay will make up the majority of your horse's diet, so really take the time to pick out the best quality hay that you can find.