Every horse owner knows hay is a crucial part of their horse’s diet since it makes up 1.5 – 2.5% of their body weight. But one question that many horse owners need to ask themselves is, ‘Is my horse getting premium hay?’. One thing they might not know is there isn’t one universal “premium” hay for horses. Each horse is different, so their hay should be too.
When looking for the best hay for your horse there are a few things you should keep in mind: how old your horse is, how much exercise your horse gets in a day, what condition your horse’s teeth are in, and many other things.
Active Horses: Horses that are being used often and are burning a lot of calories in one day will need a hay that has more alfalfa in it than grass. This will give them the energy they need through sugars and proteins.
Overweight Horses: For a horse that is in a stall a lot or is overweight, a hay with less alfalfa and more grass would be the best option.
Sensitive Teeth: If a horse has few or sensitive teeth, then you may want a hay that is very soft and chopped.
Sensitive Digestive System: If a horse is old and has a sensitive digestive system, then you may want a hay that is mostly grass so it will be easier for the horse to absorb the few sugars and calories in the hay.
You may be asking yourself which hay has the most alfalfa (or the least alfalfa). This all depends on what cutting of hay you get. First cutting hay typically has the most grass, whereas the third and fourth cutting hay has the most alfalfa and the least grass.
Now that you know what kind of hay your horse needs, how do you know if hay is good quality or not? A good quality hay is soft, green, dry, and smells sweet. A poor quality hay (pictured) might be stemmy, yellow, moldy, and musty smelling. Getting a good quality hay is so important because the better quality hay you have, the easier it will be for your horse to digest and absorb the nutrients from the hay. So the next time you buy hay, you can buy with confidence, knowing you chose the best hay for your horse.
Have a great day and a great ride!
If you want more information on how to make your hay supply last longer click here!
