Horse Hay
What you need to know about it

Most people don´t know the difference between good or bad quality horse hay. But good forage is the foundation of every good equine diet.

Good quality hay is very important for the health of your horse.

It is very important for the digestive system. The fibre, e.g. lignin or cellulose stimulates the intestinal tract and delivers slow release energy.

Longer chewing time compared to energy rich grain mixes produces more saliva to buffer stomach acids.

Late cuts tend to have less calories and protein and are higher in fibre. They are more suitable for good-doers. The early cut hays are better for working horses and brood mares.

Most horses, particularly leisure horses on maintenance level or light work get enough energy out of a hay only diet.

Feed 1.5-2% of body weight. More accurate though is to analyze your hay. Then calculate how much you need to feed to meet the energy needs of your horse.

Depending on the nutrional values you need to supplement minerals and trace elements in the correct ratios. You might also have to supplement lysine and omega-3s (linseed oil).

What good horse hay should look like:

• Hay should always have a sweet smell



• Hay should never be dusty.

  Dust would be an indication of mould which can cause respiratory problems in horses and humans.

• Good hay should be of green colour.

  Brown hay has been rained on and it has been in the field too long before it has been baled.

• The nutritional quality also depends on good management of the pasture. Regular feeding and weed control are important factors.

How to feed hay

• Feed hay from a clean floor free of sand and dirt.


• Don´t feed from hay mangers that are high up on the wall. This is a very unnatural feeding position for a horse (they are not like giraffes!) and can cause back problems.


• Feed larger portion of hay over night.



• Use a small mesh haynet to slow down eating. This is particularly important for good-doers on small rations.

  Increased feeding times will reduce the risk for colic , gastric ulcers, stable vices and behaviour problems and result in a healthier and happier horse.

Hay Storage

• Storage has a big impact on the quality of horse hay.


• Hay should always be stored dry and dark with air being able to circulate around it.


• Don´t cover it with plastic sheets. Condensation will cause mould and spoil the hay.


• Make sure that the hay is well dried before bringing it in.

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