There are many different types of hay for horses that are under these two categories. Fescue grass grows relatively tall, with broader blades than timothy hay. There are many different types of hay for horses that are under … Respiratory or digestive disturbances associated with feeding hay are more likely … Legume hay is higher in protein, energy, calcium and vitamin A than grass hays. If you feed some or all legume hay, be mindful of this relationship and balance your horse by feeding some grass hay or using supplemental phosphorus if necessary. + Free Printable Barn Chores Checklist ». Your pony probably won't need the nutrition provided by alfalfa and clovers. Most good hay growers do their own analysis. And sure — it’d be nice to have access to green pastures year-round, but feeding your horse hay is nearly as good (and sometimes better) than feeding grass. Horses being maintained, mares in the first two-thirds of gestation, and mature horses working at light or moderate levels can do nicely on immature grass hay. (So that means most of us.) Horse owners all have their own hay preferences, but Coleman says his top choice is a mixed alfalfa-grass hay that meets many different horse classes’ requirements, from growing to … The answer is the hay that meets their nutritional requirements, makes them feel good, and tastes good. Once seed pods form they extend away from the stalk and look like a bird’s foot (hence the name). Please fill out the rest of the form below. I might buy a bale of hay for $18 that weighs 125 pounds. Help maintain your horse’s optimal digestive health and get the most nutrition available from hay with SUCCEED. Kentucky bluegrass, orchardgrass and timothy are all examples of common grasses used for hay. Once you’ve established that it’s of good quality, it’s time to consider your choices. Adding some alfalfa is beneficial for pregnant, lactating and growing horses which have very high protein and calcium needs. However, grass hay is very high in fiber. Third Cut Hay. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. It usually has a higher amount of protein than other grass hays but has a better balance of nutrients such as calcium and fiber. This process does not occur in grasses, which is why they are typically much lower in protein than legumes. Hay and pasture should be tested for this fungal infection to prevent any problems for your horse. The higher percent of calcium in legume hay can present a problem with the calcium/phosphorus balance. This is the standard go-to hay for adults horses and should smell good even to us humans. The two main types of hay for horses are grass hay and legume hay. Horses and ponies in their natural environment are grazing animals - they spend many hours a day eating grass. Return to our list of hay types for more details. If a horse has a heavy workload, or needs more energy and caloric intake, legume hay can be a good fit. Many of you will wonder, what type of hay is best for horses? This is a tall grass that grows well in cool conditions and varies in color from light green, to dark green, to blueish-green. Learn More. Hay generally falls into one of two categories – grasses or legumes. There are many types of hay that you can feed to horses. Alfalfa is the most common legume hay for horses. Your horse is in good body condition; she is doing well on the grass/alfalfa-mix hay you are currently feeding. Legumes are higher in protein, energy, calcium, and vitamin A than grass hay. Stems are slender and branch with a multitude of leaves. © 2020. It is quite sensitive to moisture fluxuations though, so care must be taken with overwatering or irrigating it (and it may be difficult to get during a drought). Many horse owners advise that Alfalfa hay is the best kind of hay to feed a horse. Color can vary based on grass type and exposure to sunlight. It could just be a coincidence between colic symptoms and feeding dry forage though. The following is a list of types of grass hay for horses. Hay. Most horses tolerate more than 20% NSC without adverse effects, and most grass hays, especially those from the Eastern states, contain only 7-18% NSC, with an average of … Keep in mind that even though some of these hays may sound better in their description, ultimately the best hay for your horse is the one they will eat. Kentucky bluegrass, orchardgrass and timothy are all examples of common grasses used for hay. Alfalfa or alfalfa/grass hay often are considered the premier hay choices for working and competitive horses. Q: What is the best quality hay for horses? It makes an excellent stand of hay. A huge diet overhaul, careful management, and pairing him with the perfect “friend” has meant we […], Canadian native Veronica Deans is an NRHA Non Pro reiner and ranch owner in northern Texas. There are many types of hay that you can feed to horses. Normal horses can tolerate NSC levels of 20% or higher. Alfalfa Hay. Hay purchased at the feed store is generally sold by the bale. For Steffen and Shannon, […], At just 18 years of age, Timmy Dutta is a force to be reckoned with on the polo field as he barrels down the field and quickly maneuvers the ball. Alfalfa is classified as a legume. Hay has been important historically and is still essential today. Horse Pasture Grass Seed Mix in Non GMO This is an excellent pasture mix that some have used for hay as well. The resulting oat hay is high in protein and other nutrients, making it a nutritious option for horse hay. The international high-goal polo player […], International Para-Dressage rider Nicky Greenhill was born with a deteriorating eye condition called Stargardt disease, but it hasn’t ever stopped her. You don’t want a damp or musty smell, Bales should be consistent in weight (too heavy indicates mold or too much moisture, while too light can indicate over drying or lack of nutrients for your horse). It works the same in horses. It does spike in sugar production in the fall, so be cautious when grazing or feeding it to sugar sensitive horses. Beet pulp or beet-pulp-based processed feeds are a good choice because beet pulp is well tolerated by horses with sensitive digestive tracts, is well digested and itself helps to encourage healthy populations of organisms in the large bowel. Unless your horse lives in a climate where the pastures are always pristine and never have to be closed for inclement weather, you probably feed your horse hay. Different types of hay for horses can vary in nutritional value, taste or texture. Signs of wheezing, sneezing and coughing are indications that your horse is having an allergic reaction to airborne dust or mold. This hay is high in protein, but lower in calcium than legume hay. Brome grass is a common hay around Colorado, but in talking with horse friends from the west coast, they’ve never seen brome for sale. How to Choose a Turnout Blanket for Your Horse, How to Build a Dutch Stall Door – Cheap DIY Stall Door, Things Equestrians Can Do During the COVID-19 Quarantine, Clovers (Red, White, Sweet., Alsike, Yellow Sweetclover), Smell like hay (kind of a sweet smell). Daniel Day / Getty Images When good pasture grass is not available, hay is the single most important source of nutrition for your horse, pony, donkey or mule. It is lower in protein than some other grasses, so you must ensure a horse is getting enough protein in their diet if this is their only forage. Additionally, the stalks can be thick so some horses won’t eat it because of texture. While hay alone may not meet the total dietary requirements of young, growing horses or those used for high levels of performance, high-quality hay may supply ample nutrition for less active adult horses. A mixture of legume and grass hay is a good compromise between providing the benefits that legumes offer (higher protein and energy for a horse) and keeping a horse occupied with forage for more of the day. When evaluating legume hays, Crandell first establishes the type of hay. Use your good judgment when purchasing hay for horses. Oat hay is also quite high in sugar, so it is not a good option for insulin resistant horses. Once you know the kind of quality he produces, it makes things much easier.” Smith said, “Look at the hay and do the quality analysis. It germinates quickly and is hardy enough for dry climates. Local availability will ultimately dictate what you feed, but knowing your way around the different types of grasses and legumes will help you grow or purchase the best option for the horses in your care. People used to think that horses should not be fed legume hay because it would cause digestive disorders. Most commonly, clover is mixed with other grasses. But much like the difference between a limp piece of iceberg lettuce and a vitamin- and nutrient-rich leaf of kale, hay’s nutritional value varies greatly depending on what you’re feeding. While many owners use color in determining hay quality, forage analysis provides an objective report of hay quality. Once you've determined the best category of hay for your horse, most people select hay based on how it looks, smells and feels. Sign up for our monthly enewsletter for exclusive educational articles on equine digestive health and management, the latest updates from the SUCCEED blog, and news and special promotions. Clover hay can provide energy, protein and fiber, however, if clover molds, it can cause slobbers and bleeding in horses who eat the molded hay. Since a mature horse will eat 2 to 2.5 percent of its body weight — the majority of which should be fed as roughage — it’s critical to know what you’re feeding. The increased concentration of protein in legume hay can greatly increase the energy for a horse eating it. Each bag will cover one acre with quality grazing grass seed. A palitable hay that horses like the taste of, this is the hay often used to make cubes & pellets. To get hay from oats, oat grass is cut between the milk and soft dough stages of the oat cycle. The hay should be cut early and be leafy, green, and free of mold, dust, and foreign matter, such as weeds and stubble. Hay is the most important supplementary feed and the primary source of fiber for horses. She’s been riding since age four, reining since the mid-90s, and claiming NRHA wins since 2010. This hay is high in fiber, protein and calcium. Pick a hay your horse likes to eat. This class of carbohydrates includes starch, water-soluble sugar, and fructan. Most horses will readily consume alfalfa hay. All Rights Reserved. 3] so you know exactly what you’re feeding. If you really want to know what is in your hay, have it tested! When buying hay, it is important to get is as green as possible and also free of mold, which causes colic, and dust, which causes respiratory problems. We will explore all the types of hay that are commonly fed to horses. The drug causes several side effects, including lethargy, vomiting and diarrhea. This hay is sometimes referred to as coastal hay and is a shorter plant with fine blades of grass. These lower nutrition levels along with the higher fiber … It is very palatable and desirable and grows well in poor fertility soils. Different types of hay for horses can vary in nutritional value, taste or texture. If horses don’t need additional grain, some people use a ration balancer to make sure a horse is getting all the nutrients they need from their diet. Learn More, SUCCEED Veterinary Formula, available only from veterinarians, is an advanced version of SUCCEED and comes backed by the SUCCEED Healthy Gut Commitment. So this is definitely a regional hay. For horses, grass hay or a legume/grass hay mix is the best choice. Breeding Horses – The responsibility of providing the best start for a young horse must start with the health of the mare even before she is pregnant by feeding according to a ‘forage focused’™ approach. Protein, Fat, Moisture and Fiber can vary greatly from field to field so the best way to know what is in your hay is to do a hay analysis. *When in doubt about what hay is best for your horse, consult your vet or an equine nutritionist to determine the best hay for your horse* The two main types of hay for horses are grass hay and legume hay. For the average pleasure horse, a high-quality grass hay is ideal. Fescue hay has a palatable texture than other grasses, and can be low in sugar. Brome is closer in appearance to orchard than timothy, in appearance. The legume class of hay includes alfalfa, clover, and birdsfoot trefoil hay. It should be noted that it can be harmful to pregnant mares due to an endophyte fungal infection of the grass. SUCCEED Patents. Although the most popular legume used among horse owners is alfalfa, other legumes such as red or crimson clover, lespedeza, birdsfoot trefoil, and peanut hay are often fed, and … Timothy hay is a common favorite among horses and owners. It’s perennial, so grows repeatedly year on year. Alfalfa hay is one of the most common hays available in the US, making it a popular choice for forage for horses. Young foals and mares in the first three months of lactation can benefit by the best legume hay available. Therefore, the second cut of hay is usually higher “quality” than the first cut. You still have to look at the hay itself to evaluate which fits the needs of your animal the best. Rye grass is gaining popularity as a forage for horses as it is quick to establish and grow and provides good nutrition. Clover plants usually have three leaves, and the leaves and flower colors vary based on the type of clover. Nicky holds numerous national and international titles, including her recent silver medal at the […], Grand Prix dressage rider Liz Austin is a two-time national champion who’s had her feet in the stirrups for quite some time. Ponies need only the fraction of the feed that horses do. Orchard hay is another common type of grass hay – it usually has a thicker blade than timothy hay but can be softer in texture. Bermuda is typically the cheapest grass hay you can purchase for a horse. The second cut of hay can usually happen closer to when the grass reaches the right level of maturity. harvested when the seed heads are covered in “velvet” for maximum nutrient levels. The feed store down the road advertises hay at $15 a bale. Crested Dog’s Tail This is a very common grass especially in dry areas and is great for horses. However, because of its high palatability, intake must be restricted to keep horses from overeating and becoming colicky. Hay for ponies should be good quality grass hay. No matter which type of hay you choose, some characteristics should be consistent when looking for high quality hay for horses. The longer the seed head, the lower the nutrient value; and the more coarse and stemmy the hay. When in doubt, be sure to discuss feeding this hay with your vet. Oftentimes, the hay that a horse enjoys the most is the one they are most accustomed to. This means that a horse will get more nutrients from less hay but it also means that they get more energy and calories from less hay so it won’t keep a horse occupied for as long. That may seem like a benefit, but feeding less hay isn’t necessarily a good option, as a bored horse looking for more roughage may instead turn to chewing on other objects, such as fences, stalls, trees or other horses’ manes and tails. She is getting no grain, and she has never developed laminitis, inflammation of the soft connective tissues within the foot that can result from a variety of … Scroll down for more information and products you might wish to select. What is your best kind of hay is first grown locally, is affordable, is put up right, is appropriate for the classes of horses it is being fed to, keeps your horses in good condition and your horses eat it … Birdsfoot trefoil is more resistant to negative soil conditions as well as moisture fluctuations. 🙂, « The Most Comfortable Cowboy Boots That You Can Wear All Day, What Barn Chores Do You Need To Do Every Day? Alfalfa hay, sometimes called lucerne hay, is the most popular legume hay fed to horses in the U.S., while timothy and orchard are popular grass hay choices. The vast majority of horses will thrive on a high quality grass hay. Light brown hay can indicate that the hay sat too long in the sun drying. There are many different types of grass hay available, although the types of grass available will vary based on your geographic location. But research has dispelled this notion. Timothy, Orchard, or Coastal are all great options. Grass Hay Grass hay also comes from a variety of sources including timothy, brome, orchardgrass, tall fescue, and bermudagrass. There are some loose correlations between bermuda grass hay and colic. For these horses NSC, P and mold content are key. Feeding a mid- to late-maturity hay will provide fewer nutrients, which might be desirable for easy keepers. The benefits of feeding a legume, like alfalfa, but keeping the balance in your horse’s nutrition and energy levels by also feeding them a grass hay. Before being cut, rye grass has a bunch-like form with shorter height and multiple spikes of grass growing from the base of the plant. Hay analysis can tell you what a hay does and does not have and whether or not you need to be supplementing with something that is missing from your horse’s diet. Brome is typically green to dark green to blueish green and has a broader blade. Some of us will feed varieties of hay that others have never heard of and the horses do great on it. Return to our list of hay types for more details. Grass Hay for Horses. “Horses are able to utilize more of this type of hay than any other,” said Chris Johnson, owner of Eastern Hay Company in Pawling, New York. This is great hay for adult maintenance. This typically indicates that it has a good flavor. Legume hay is higher in protein and calcium than grass hay is. Note that the following descriptions are generalizations. All horses need fiber in their diet and some of it must be the form of long hay. Alfalfa is also a good winter feed because heat is created by digestion of protein, so a horse can keep warmer on a cold night. It … Yet customers rarely ask for the analysis.” Match hay to horses with special needs. The best crops of Timothy hay are those that are cut prior to full bloom, as protein levels fall off as the plant matures. While hay alone may not meet the total dietary requirements of young, growing horses or those used for high levels of performance, high-quality hay may supply ample nutrition for less active adult horses. Bermuda grass grows well in a variety of conditions so it is a common hay for horses. Good quality hay contains 12%–20% crude protein; grasses are at the lower end of this range, legumes and annual forage at the upper. Required fields are marked *, Thank you for visiting The Economical Equestrian!  My name is Catherine, and I am here to help all equestrians live better with their horses as well as learn to be financially savvy.  Being comfortable with your finances is important for everyone, but especially when you have such an expensive habit.  Stay a while and then get out there and ride! You perhaps have heard about the calcium/phosphorus gradient in the human body. All content is for informational purposes only. Timothy - is a perennial and very palatable to horses. Since it’s less nutrient-dense than legume hay, horses have to eat more grass hay to fill their bellies, which makes grass hay a … Grass hay comes in many varieties and the best hay can vary from horse to horse. Horses readily consume good hay, which is rich in energy, protein, minerals, and vitamins. Legume hay is more easily digested than grass hay, which can be a good or bad thing depending on the horse. Horses eat grass, legume, or mixed grass and legume hay. Third cut hay is really soft and super leafy. Feeding a legume/grass mix can be the best of both worlds. Rely on forage tests before and after soaking to decide which type of hay is best for your horse especially with a horse that has laminitis, PSSM, HYPP or COPD. And for Veronica, […], SUCCEED Digestive Conditioning Program is a nutritional approach to managing the horse’s digestive health, including the stomach and the hindgut. The flower blooms are small, bright yellow, and form in clusters at the end of the stems. “My favorite part about managing Arroyo Del Mar is caring for our horses. There are more leaves on the stems than the first cut; the stems are also thinner. High-quality hay should be green and sweet smelling, with no traces of mold or excess dust. Horses challenged by metabolic syndrome should be offered hays that are low in non-structural carbohydrates or NSC. Alfalfa is easy to digest & high in protein, energy, vitamins & minerals. Typically, orchard grass is lower in protein than timothy, but it is a favorite amongst horses and owners. A mixed bale (or feeding a flake from each type of bale) provides medium energy and protein counts, adds relatively high (compared with solely grass hay) calcium, and a more appropriate calcium-to-phosphorus ratio than straight alfalfa. Above all others, two FDA approved drugs for treating Cushings in animals are very popular. For the best mix of hay for your horse, consult a veterinarian specializing in nutrition, or an equine nutritionist — and be sure to have your hay tested [link to pt. It is highly palatable. Second cut hay is the hay most people feed their horses. Hay should be green. The increased calcium does mean that phosphorus may need to be supplemented, as noted above. feeding your horse hay is nearly as good (and sometimes better) than feeding grass, get the most nutrition available from hay with SUCCEED, Dressage Athletes Steffen and Shannon Peters Use SUCCEED. We just need a little more information. Good quality hay will contain a greater quantity of nutrients. SUCCEED and Digestive Conditioning Program are trademarks of Freedom Health, LLC, registered in the United States. Timmy Dutta’s Polo Horses Use SUCCEED—Find Out Why! As a general rule of thumb, grass hay is best for horses—alfalfa or other legume hay can be an excellent feed to mix with grass hay for animals that need more protein. But bermuda grass provides a good source of forage for horses. Many horse owners may decide that a mix of legume and grass hay is the appropriate choice for their horse. Typically timothy grass has a finer texture than other grasses. Your email address will not be published. They are Trilostane (Vetoryl) and Mitotane (Lysodren). Timothy hay (Timothy grass) is a foraging grass that grows well in cool climates. This bacteria “fixes” the nitrogen from the atmosphere into ammonia, then into ammonium which the plant can then use to make protein. What type of hay do you feed your horses? High-quality hay can provide most of the nutrients needed for a mature horse. Benefits: Grass hay is lower in protein and energy than legume hay — but it’s also higher in fiber, which can make it a good choice for many horses. Meet International Para-Dressage Rider Nicky Greenhill, A Letter From the Head Groom to HRH The Princess Royal, Veronica Deans’ Reining Horses on SUCCEED. Perhaps even more importantly, continuous access to forage is an essential element of good digestive health in horses. It's said that hay revolutionized horse care, and man's ability to be mobile. This forage grows to 2-3 feet tall, and is easiest to grow when mixed with grasses. Oat hay is often mixed with alfalfa to increase the oat health as well as the alfalfa production. These fodders, which are more energy and nutrient dense than many grass hay, are often too rich for a pony. Grass is lower in fibre wish to select colors vary based on the type of hay for?. Accustomed to many of you will wonder, what type of hay includes alfalfa, white clover, clover... Wonder, what type of hay available resistant to negative soil conditions as well as the alfalfa production including... However, because of its high palatability, intake must be the form below grasses used for what kind of hay is best for horses... 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