Of course you want to do the right thing for your horse and provide him with the best possible nutrition, but you may know more about riding or grooming than you do about the nuances of hay. Don’t feel overwhelmed—the topic is less confusing than you might think. We reached out to Rachel Mottet, Ph.D., the owner of Legacy Equine Nutrition consulting business, for help in navigating this sea of dried grass.

Grass or Legume Hay?

Horse hay is generally divided into two main categories: grasses and legumes. Grasses often have long, slender stalks and perhaps a seed head on top; legumes are leafier, don’t grow as tall, and the stems are crunchier.

“The most common legumes fed to horses in the U.S. are alfalfa and clover,” says Mottet. “The most common U.S. grass hays are timothy, orchard, fescue, brome, and Bermuda.”

Mottet notes that grasses are then subdivided as cool-season or warm-season grasses, with cool-season grasses tending to be more palatable to horses than warm-season grasses.

“All are, however, acceptable choices for horses,” she says. “The main difference between grasses and legumes is that legumes tend to be higher in protein, energy, and several other micronutrients.”

So if legumes offer more energy, should you choose them over grasses? Not necessarily.

“Horses can do great on many types of forages,” says Mottet. “A good-quality grass hay can be the foundational piece of the diet for really any horse. A legume can be helpful for high-performance horses, those who are considered ‘hard keepers,’ and for mares that are gestating or lactating.”

Many horse owners use a grass hay, but may supplement with alfalfa (or an alfalfa mix) if the extra calories are needed.

“Alfalfa is usually [richer] in protein, energy, and micronutrient density, and is often not ideal as the sole source of forage in the diet,” says Mottet. “There are some situations where a large inclusion of alfalfa is a good choice, but in general, it shouldn’t be the only forage your horse is receiving if you have grass hay also available.”

Ponies, in particular, can be overly sensitive to the calorie content of alfalfa hay.

Choosing a Hay

You’ll find further options within the grass and legume categories. But you probably don’t need to worry too much about the exact hay species, since that is going to vary somewhat by your region. For example, don’t get too focused on whether to feed a cool-season timothy hay over a cool-season orchard grass mix.

“Finding what’s available in your region is a good place to start,” says Mottet. “Start by finding a quality horse hay vendor in your area that you can get a consistent source from. Check in with other local horse farms to see who grows horse hay in the area.”

She also suggests connecting with a local extension agent as a guide.

“Keep in mind that hay that’s appropriate for cattle and other livestock may not be the best match for your horses, so try to find a vendor growing hay specifically for horses,” Mottet advises.

Another major factor—probably more important than the specific type of hay you buy—is the age at which the hay was harvested. As grasses and legumes mature and the stalks become thicker, the nutritional value of the hay begins to diminish.

“There isn’t a certain species I typically avoid, as maturity when cut is the biggest influencer of nutritional quality in any hay,” says Mottet. “You can have good or bad quality in nearly any variety! However, there are a few situations that warrant specificity. In a number of horses, a low non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) hay is most appropriate [for horses with sugar and starch sensitivities or obesity]. The hay most appropriate for these horses is one that is more mature (stemmy), or a variety with known low NSC content.”

She also notes that pregnant mares can be sensitive to the endophyte fungus found in tall fescue grass, so fescue might not be the wisest choice on breeding farms.

Look for Quality

There are some basics you should look for no matter what type of hay you ultimately use. Mottet recommends finding hay that is free of debris, has minimal dust, and does not have discolored areas indicative of mold. She also advises that green hay is not necessarily the truest indicator of quality and nutrient composition.

“Sometimes you can have the most beautiful bright green hay, but your horse prefers the more brown/green option,” she says. “It’s hard to always explain why, but the point is to not get completely lost in finding the greenest hay available thinking this is the determinant of quality.”

Watch Their Weight

Mottet recommends regularly appraising your horse’s body condition, as you can gain clues about the quality of your hay and whether your horse getting too much, too little, or the correct amount.

“I suggest using the Henneke Body Condition Scoring (BCS) system to ensure your horse is getting adequate hay intake,” she says. “A good guide is to make sure your horse is receiving at least 1.5 percent of his body weight in hay per day, all the way up to free choice [about 2.5 percent of body weight in hay intake per day]. You can use your horse’s BCS to determine where to land within that range of hay intake.”

Once you have determined the hay that works best for your horse and have found a reliable supplier in your region, you should have an easier time next year, when you simply need to restock. Then your only question will be how to find enough helpers to unload the hay!

Further Reading

◆ How to Grow Your Own Hay
◆ Hay Buyer’s Guide
◆ Hay Accessories to Make Feeding Your Horse Easier
◆ Soil and Hay Tests for Horse Owners

This article about choosing the right hay type appeared in the January/February 2025 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Choosing the Right Hay Type appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

We worry about our horses being too hot or too cold or exposed to sudden weather fluctuations. We stand in stores reading fly spray labels to determine which might work best and fret about whether a rain sheet, mid-weight, or heavy turnout rug is necessary, only to then worry about our horse sweating or shivering under it if we pick the wrong one.

Therefore, it’s not surprising that our overworked minds might miss something. Problems pop up like pasture weeds. Here are 10 potentially problematic horse care mistakes to keep on your radar.

1. Over-Blanketing

Opinions about blanketing horses are as fraught with emotion as those about keeping newborn babies warm. Is the baby cold? Too warm? Is the blanket too tight, too loose? When should it be removed? The decision to blanket depends primarily upon weather conditions, temperature, available shelter, and your horse’s hair coat.

If your horse lives outdoors and wears a turnout rug, it should be removed daily for grooming while his skin is checked for rubs and his overall body condition is noted. Clipped horses have their natural protection removed, and need heavier blankets than horses with natural coats. Rain sheets and mid-weights are often enough for unclipped horses, while heavy rugs and neck covers are usually needed if the horse is clipped, thin, or used to a warmer climate.

Many healthy animals with a natural coat don’t need blanketing in winter as long as they have access to shelter from wind and precipitation. Blankets should always be removed if your horse is sweating underneath. It’s easier and far worse for a horse to overheat than be uncomfortable from cold or breezy weather, so err on the side of under-blanketing instead of over-blanketing.

2. Moldy Hay

Buying hay is always a challenge and has become more so in the last decade. Small square bales have given way to large ones, and round bales are practically impossible to assess for quality.

Drought conditions have made the supply smaller, with farmers baling fewer cuttings every year. Prices are high, requiring long searches for good hay in a tough market. Too often, when hay prices get high, horse owners are tempted to lower their standards and feed bales they would typically reject. This is risky, since bad hay causes respiratory problems and can be fatal if it is contaminated with blister beetles or toxic plants.

Never mistake tight, heavy bales or a green tint for quality, as weight can indicate that the hay was baled damp and the green color can be sprayed on like a faux lawn. There’s no substitute for your eyes and nose.

Learn what good hay looks and smells like and always inspect a few bales before you purchase. Even if you board your horse, always keep a close eye on what he is eating and insist on quality hay.

3. Dusty Bedding

Dusty bedding, hay, and arena footing can trigger equine asthma, a respiratory disease that is much harder to treat than to prevent. When buying pine shavings, check the wrapper to make sure you are buying the dust-free option. The cheaper products can become very expensive if your horse ends up with a persistent cough.

Shredded newspaper is the lowest-dust bedding available, although it may not be feasible to find in all areas. Straw bedding is the highest in dust.

4. Cluttered Barn Aisles

Your barn aisle is ground zero for your horse activities. It should be de-cluttered periodically and assessed for safety.

A horse may have gone in and out of his stall without incident for years, but it only takes one mistake for a door handle to slice his flank enough to require stitches. Protruding tack hooks and slippery footing are other avoidable accidents waiting to happen.

Cross-ties should always have breakaway hardware fastened closest to the wall so if you need to unfasten it in an emergency, you aren’t as close to a panicking horse. A loop of baling twine between the hardware and the wall hook is another breakaway point that will hold everyday forces but gives in case of a panicked pull-back.

Another potential hazard is the placement of feed containers in the aisle in front of stalls. Many horses are escape artists, and nothing tempts them like available food they know is just inches away.

5. No Pre-Purchase Vet Check

Both experienced and novice horse buyers often skip a pre-purchase exam for a variety of reasons: cost, inconvenience of scheduling, not knowing a local veterinarian where the horse is located, and believing they have the skills to detect conformation flaws or signs of looming disease.

A pre-purchase exam is not a health guarantee because the vet is only examining what exists the day of the exam, but any major issues will be a red flag to a professional who treats horses on a regular basis.

Laminitis has a lingering imprint in the ridges on a horse’s hooves; a heart murmur declares its presence through a stethoscope; and lameness is often subtle and difficult to detect—all are best assessed by a veterinarian. The fee for this service is tiny compared to owning a horse that you can’t sell in good fait.

6. Contracts for Horse Sales or Lease Agreements

The era of closing a horse sale with a handshake is long gone, yet many purchase agreements today have an abysmal paper trail. We live in a world that requires documentation as protection against lawsuits and disputes between parties who can’t remember the details of the original transaction.

7. Failing to Pre-Check Your Trailer

You’ve probably been there before: You’re in such a hurry to get on the road to the horse show or late for that trail ride that you skip the checklist of pre-departure truck, hitch and trailer inspections before starting the engine.

Owning a new trailer does not preclude a safety check on door and window latches, air vents, butt bars (if you have them), tire inflation, trailer lights, hitch connections, and electric wiring. Trailer windows should be open (with grills closed) based on weather and predicted inside temperature once underway. Most of the time, the temperature inside the trailer is much hotter than outside.

8. Buying and Keeping an Unsuitable Horse

Far too many people fall in love with a horse at first sight (or photo), throw caution to the wind and buy it, only to soon discover he’s not suited to their skills or needs. Disappointed new owners may resist selling because they are already emotionally committed. This situation typically ends with the horse as a pasture pet or the owner hiring a costly trainer to fix what usually can’t be fixed—an unhappy owner paired with an unsuitable horse.

Buy a horse for what you want to do with him, not because he’s a fashionable breed or has a flashy coat. Buyers should remember the adage, “A good horse is never a bad color.”

9. Trying New Things While Your Horse is Distracted

Don’t set yourself up for failure by ignoring obvious warning signs when teaching your horse something new. Cold, windy weather is not the best time to introduce sidepassing or trail riding. Impending storms often usher in erratic behavior in horses and cause problems under saddle.

Avoid trying to train when the arena is filled with distractions like jumping ponies and galloping reiners. Your horse learns better when he can focus. Likewise, don’t expect concentration when it’s feeding time and all of the other horses are happily digging into their meal.

10. Spoiling Your Horse

Horses are like children in that they will take advantage of weak leadership, and they occasionally need correction. Failing to assert yourself as the leader of your “herd of two” usually ends in disappointment, if not injury.

If you can’t assert yourself enough to do this, your horse will step right into the role. Watch two horses turned out together and you’ll see they settle who is in charge within minutes, and every breach of that agreement will be challenged. Horse owners should never fall for the myth that horses love those who placate and spoil them. Horses respect clear leadership, not pushover love.

Every horse owner has made one of these mistakes in horse care and horsemanship, and probably asked themselves later why they didn’t listen to their inner voice telling them another day would be better to try something new. There is no need to learn a lesson the hard way!

This article about common horse care mistakes appeared in the November/December 2022 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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As winter months creep up on us, shorter days and cooler temperatures signal plants to slow and eventually stop their growth. The lush green of your pasture begins to turn to brown. This means less forage is available for grazing horses during the winter, and what is present lacks the nutrition found in warmer months. So how do you transition a horse from moist green grass to dry hay?

Where to Start

Roughage is an essential ingredient for healthy digestion. Spring and summer bring great opportunities for horses to indulge in green pasture, as they graze periodically throughout the day during turnout. But as grass stops growing and browns, a horse likely needs other forage sources, and possibly a complete feed or grain-type supplement.

Besides pasture, typical roughage sources include hay or complete feed pellets. Alternative fiber sources are available, such as soybean hulls, beet pulp, rice hulls, corn cobs, chaff, and straw, but these don’t allow horses to “graze” on something all day long.

Instead of being fed two to three relatively large meals in a 24-hour period, it is better for a horse to have the opportunity to nibble periodically throughout the day and night. In general, horses fed large amounts in two meals a day tend to bolt the food in a short time—an hour or two at most. This results in long fasting periods until the next meal arrives, possibly leading to ulcers or behavioral vices. This is not at all how the equine digestive system is supposed to work.

To keep your horse healthy and thriving, it’s best to feed him a minimum of 1½ to 2 percent of his body weight in roughage (hay or pasture) each day. Active equine athletes may need at least that much hay plus a grain-type supplement and/or a high-fat supplement, like vegetable oil or rice bran.

Horse Dental Care

Dry hay is considerably more difficult to chew than fresh grass. This means that attention to details, like dental care, becomes important, not only so horses can extract the most nutrients from their diet, but also to minimize the risk of impaction colic or irritant diarrhea from food that isn’t chewed well.

Have your veterinarian perform a thorough dental exam at least once a year, especially heading into the winter months. Sharp points can be removed through floating procedures, so your horse is more comfortable chewing and can break down hay stems. This improves digestibility of the forage.

Senior horses often need especially diligent dental care to be able to extract the most from their hay. Some are missing so many teeth that it may be necessary to offer a gruel of soaked complete-feed pellets.

Additional calories can also be added by way of soaked beet pulp pellets, which are high in fiber and provide added safe calories for a more difficult keeper.

Slow that Gluttonous Horse Down During Winter

Ideally, a horse offered free-choice hay would control his intake, eating only as much as he needs to maintain the perfect body condition. But some individuals won’t stop eating, and—like with people—excesses calorie intake results in obesity.

Feed intake by voracious eaters and easy keepers can be slowed by using a slow feeder. These feeding systems are made of either a container that is hung on the wall or a box or frame feeding system on the ground. Close-knit grids or small holes in the feeder forces a horse to work at getting hay out. Many commercial small-hole hay nets are also available with 1½- to 2-inch holes, but some crafty ponies may need 1¼-inch or even 1-inch holes.

Read More: Nutrition for the Easy Keeper

Compared to throwing loose flakes of hay on the ground or in a stall, it takes a bit more effort and time for a horse to pull out hay from a slow feeder. This more closely approximates grazing, and it shortens the fasting periods between refills, keeping your horse’s stomach and intestines in a healthier state. To add to the benefits, there is less wastage caused by a horse trampling or soiling his hay, which then keeps feed expenses down.

For horses in a large dry lot turnout, an alternative is to use a mesh sleeve that fits around a large bale of hay. (Horses should be barefoot if using these to avoid getting a shoe tangled up.) “Double bagging” the hay bale in a net feeder further reduces the mesh size and makes it more challenging to extract hay.

Some horses figure out how to maximize how much they can pull from the holes, and will need the slow feeder bag hung from stall rafters on a breakaway rope to prevent the horse from bracing it against a firm surface and speeding up his eating.

Supplemental Nutrients During Winter

A ration balancer is a good supplement to provide for horses transitioning from pasture to hay. These are vitamin/mineral pellets fed from a large bag generally at 1 to 2 pounds per day and are great if your horse doesn’t need extra calories from grain. Consult with your veterinarian about the ration balancer most appropriate to your area.

Vitamin E is a key nutritional ingredient for all horses. Inadequate intake of vitamin E can cause muscle, neurologic, or immune system problems, and at the very least may affect performance. This vitamin may be deficient for horses that have no access to green grass, as it tends to dissipate as hay is dried after cutting and baling.

A Canadian study demonstrated that horses with pasture access in summer months had vitamin E plasma concentrations that were 63 percent higher than non-pastured horses that consumed only hay or pelleted feed. This is a particular concern for young, growing horses as well as adult and athletic horses.

In addition, horses that are supplemented with high-fat diets to improve calorie intake may be deficient in vitamin E if it is not supplemented as an antioxidant along with the fat. The best vitamin E supplement to use is d-alpha-tocopherol, a natural vitamin E that is readily absorbed.

Vitamin A or carotene may not be present in adequate amounts if horses are fed older batches of hay or hay that has lost its green color. Most commercial feeds contain ample vitamin A, so feeding small amounts of pelleted feed is likely to provide a sufficient supply of vitamin A.

An insatiable desire for fiber may cause horses with limited pasture or forage access to consume the dirt or bedding around them. This has the potential to lead to sand colic or impaction colic. Use of psyllium fiber fed for six or seven consecutive days each month helps clear the intestines of ingested sand and dirt.

Intake of sand and dirt can be prevented in the first place with feeding systems that limit access to dirt, such as rubber mats, or by using the slow-feeder method.

Salt is an important dietary ingredient for any horse. Provide a salt block that your horse can access voluntarily. This is safer than adding salt to the feed, as any excess salt is simply urinated away, making more work for the kidneys.

In some areas of the country, the soil may be low in selenium, leading to a deficiency in the hay. Check with your veterinarian before supplementing with selenium, as over-supplementation can cause serious problems from toxicity.

And finally, don’t forget to provide plenty of clean, unfrozen water to your horse in the winter. Water is considered an important nutrient for digestion, preventing the dry, fibrous feeds from becoming impacted in the intestines and keeping all metabolic processes running as they should. If your water tends to freeze, plug-in buckets or tank heaters designed to safely warm the water are your best bet.

Boosting Your Horse’s Nutrition During Winter

With some common sense and creativity, you can find ways for horses in winter months to acquire their feed more in keeping with natural trickle-feeding tendencies to optimize gut health. The ability to eat small, intermittent meals throughout the day also works wonders on a horse’s mental health and behavior.

This article about winter nutrition for your horse appeared in the November/December 2020 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Munching Through the Snow: A Vet Talks Winter Nutrition for Your Horse appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Tarter Round Bale Feeder

Prioritizing safety, the spacing prevents horses from getting a hoof stuck in the feeder, while the smooth, rounded top loops discourage excessive mane rubbing. The loop legs are designed to not sink into soft surfaces. This feeder also prevents waste through the hay-saver panel and is designed to withstand even the harshest of outdoor environments. $349.99; www.ruralking.com

Haygain HG600

Haygain steamers are designed to kill mold, fungal spores, yeast, and bacteria often found in hay, creating a palatable meal that enhances digestibility and nutrition. The Haygain HG600 steamer also triples the water content of the hay for added hydration. Steaming reduces airborne dust by nearly 98%, reducing a horse’s susceptibility to inflammatory airway disease by 65%. $1,749.00; www.haygain.us

Rolling Bale Bag

This nylon rolling bale bag will allow you to easily transport and store your hay, protecting it from debris like dust and dirt. This bag is water-resistant and provides ventilation and breathability for your hay. Four wheels and sturdy handles make moving even large bales easy. Monogramming available. $69.95 (monogram $8.95 extra); www.doversaddlery.com

Kensington Slow-Feed Hay Bag

Made exclusively for SmartPak, this hay bag features 1.5-inch netting to slow consumption and is padded by Textilene on the sides and bottom to prevent unnecessary hay waste. Has adjustable/detachable straps and closeable lid. $69.99-$79.99 depending on size; www.smartpakequine.com

Nylon Hay and Grain Portable Feeder

This on-the-road portable feeder is made of 600-denier nylon, adjustable closer straps, and large lid opening for easy-to-manage filling. Even if you choose not to use a bottom tray for grain, this bag is effective in preventing your horse’s hay from being trampled on the ground. $28.49; www.statelinetack.com

Corner Feeder

This three-in-one stall corner feeder offers three sections: one large center cavity for hay, and two smaller side cavities for salt and grain. This feeder is designed to reside on the ground so that your horse can eat naturally with his head down in a comfortable grazing position. $575.95-$1,159.95 depending on size; www.smartpakequine.com

Smart Cart

Designed to stand up to heavy use in a barn or boarding facility, the polyethylene pan, powder-coated metals, and aluminum alloy frame fight barn acids in harsh environments. This Smart Cart is easy to maneuver, with a well-balanced design and wheels. $439.95-$539.95 depending on size; www.smartpakequine.com

This article about hay accessories for horses appeared in the July 2020 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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Most horse owners must purchase hay every year—a process that can be somewhat frustrating as it puts you in search of hay year after year. While some horse owners may be fortunate enough to find a reliable hay provider, others struggle to source their annual forage. If you’re looking to take control of your horse’s hay needs and you own property with enough cleared acreage to raise a crop, then growing your own hay may be a great option. Producing quality hay is a complex topic, but we’ll examine an overview of the process to help you decide if this is something that could work for you.

Option 1: Renovate a Field

If your property has older hayfields that haven’t been in hay production for a while, it’s possible that you’ll be able to restore the fields to their former glory without having to plow them up and completely start over.

In many cases it’s actually preferable to preserve the hayfield’s existing established sod layer (this helps prevent erosion problems), but excess of weeds prevent you from obtaining the hay quality you’re aiming for.

One chemical-free way to begin controlling the weeds is to begin mowing the hayfield consistently (multiple times throughout a summer). This allows the grass to grow back more quickly than the weeds, plus it prevents the weeds from reaching maturity and going to seed. Eventually, the weed’s root system should run out of energy and die, while the desired hay species will be left unscathed. You’ll need to first thoroughly examine the field for long-lost obstacles like rocks, fallen logs, downed fencing and the like.

Option 2: Seed from Scratch

If you’re starting a hayfield from scratch, you must decide exactly what type of hay to grow. You might also want to add seed to an old field to help revitalize it. As a horse owner, you’re probably familiar with different types of hay-legumes (like alfalfa, white or red clover and birds-foot trefoil) and grasses (like timothy, Bermuda grass or orchard grass).

Each type has benefits and drawbacks that make it either desirable or unappealing to different horse owners. In general, the legumes tend to be richer in protein and minerals and deliver more energy content than grasses. Legumes can be helpful for keeping weight on an older horse or for animals that burn a lot of calories, like broodmares or hardworking competition horses. The downside, of course, is that legumes can be simply too rich and provide too much energy for horses that don’t require it, like many ponies or horses that only perform light work. Legumes might also be too rich for equines at risk for laminitis or cause unintended weight gain.

Grass hays, however, are generally more fibrous and therefore not as calorie-dense, so horses can eat more without running into the problems associated with legumes; this translates into more time eating and chewing and less boredom. Some horse owners try to get the best of both worlds by using a grass/ legume mix.

Selecting a specific variety within those categories to grow is more complicated, and the best choice depends heavily on your region and climate. For instance, timothy grass tends to thrive in areas with cold winters and warm summers—perfect for northern regions.

Alfalfa, with its impressive root system, prefers dry summers and won’t perform as well in wet locations. Major alfalfa-producing areas include parts of the Pacific Coast and western states like Idaho.

If you’re unsure what type of hay to grow or what mixture of legumes and grasses to try, your best bet is to get local advice from a county agricultural extension agent at a nearby university or from other hay farmers in your area who have been down this same road.

Optimize the Soil

Once you’ve decided which type of seed you’d like to use, a soil test is the next order of business. Not only will a soil test help you determine if your field needs additional fertilizing before planting (it probably will), it will also help you gauge the soil acidity with the pH scale.

The pH scale is well known to gardeners, as it provides an insight into the current status of soil’s acidity, which plays a key role in the health and development of various plants. It’s no different for hay crops—some varieties need higher or lower pH values than others.

For example, timothy does best at a pH of 5.5-7.0; orchard grass at 5.8-7.5; Bermuda at 5.5-6.5; alfalfa at 6.5-7.5; and clover at 6.5-8.0.

Adding lime to the field six months prior to seeding can raise the pH level of an overly acidic field and aid in weed prevention. Likewise, maintaining proper nitrogen levels is important for grass hay, while legumes benefit from proper levels of phosphorus and potassium. Testing your soil will help take away the guesswork as you learn to grow your own hay.

Planting

Your climate will dictate what time of year planting should be done, from late fall of the prior year all the way to summer, or somewhere in between. Again, you can ask the advice of experts in your area.

It’s important not to plant seeds too deeply, or they might not germinate at all. Seeds from hay forages should only be planted at about 1⁄4” or 1⁄2” deep (it’s OK for some of the seeds to still be on the surface). A seeder is helpful for this process.

Once your hay is growing and on its way, there isn’t much to do except wait and watch!

Harvest Time

Different types of hay take different amounts of time to mature, so the exact month when you harvest will vary, but it’s generally a wise plan to cut your hay before it’s reached full maturity. It’s still OK to harvest and feed hay that has matured past its prime, but the hay will generally consist of stemmier material and fewer leaves, making for a lower nutritional value.

The leafy material of overly mature hay can also be brittle and prone to breakage, making for a dustier end product; the same thing can happen if you over-dry your hay in the field prior to baling. However, harvesting when the hay is too young will lower your overall yield.

The hay harvesting process itself is a complex topic, but basically involves four processes:

◆ Cutting: This is when you use a tractor and hay mower, like a mower-conditioner, to cut all of the standing grass off a few inches above the ground.
◆ Drying: This allows time (along with lots of sunshine and low humidity) to remove a great deal of moisture from the crop; it’s at this time when the forage transforms from green, flexible, living plants into pale, crunchy, dry hay that will store for long periods without spoilage. A hay tedder is a machine that may be used at this stage to spread the hay out, which then aids the drying process.
◆ Raking: Going back over the field with a tractor and rake to turn the hay over allows the underside to dry properly and creates windrows (lines of hay) that will aid in baling the hay.
◆ Baling: During this phase, you’ll use a tractor and baler to travel over the windrows and mechanically compress the dried hay into neatly tied bales.

Store and Feed

Finally, after all of that work, optimal storage for your hay crop is critical to make sure it lasts the whole year and even beyond. The ideal hay storage building protects the hay from rain and snow while still providing adequate ventilation so that the hay can cure properly (completely dry out during the weeks and months after harvesting).

Protection from small and large critters that may want to nest in the hay is also important. Once the hay has cured enough to use, you can begin feeding it to your horses. Hopefully, they’ll appreciate your efforts as much as you will!

Equipment Farming—even something as “simple” as forage crops—often requires a sizeable investment in equipment, although costs can sometimes be kept lower by utilizing used equipment or by sharing tractors and implements with neighboring farmers. Some of the equipment you might need to grow your own hay includes: TRACTOR: Probably 40 HP or more for baling hay; lighter tractors may be able to perform some of the other tasks BRUSH HOG: For reclaiming older hayfields that are heavily weeded DISC: Not required if you’re going with a no-till process (meaning you don’t disturb the soil through mechanical agitation) SEEDER: For planting large areas of hayseed quickly and easily MOWER-CONDITIONER: Cuts hay for harvesting and also crimps it during the process for faster drying times TEDDER: Useful in moist regions for fluffing cut hay to improve drying; may be optional in drier locales HAY RAKE: For turning over hay for drying and for creating windrows BALER: Small square balers are a popular option for creating horse hay; larger operations may consider large square balers. Round bales are also favored by some horse owners and situations. HAY WAGON: For loading and transporting small squares to the storage building SKIDSTEER/TRACTOR WITH FORK LOADER: For moving large squares or round bales

This article on how to grow your own hay appeared in the February 2020 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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Many areas of the U.S. have already experienced the first effects of winter, including Kentucky. A University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment specialist said that was a good reminder that many horse owners will soon be feeding more hay and need to check their winter hay supply.

“While most horse owners purchased hay months ago and neatly stored it away, it’s a good idea to double check what you have on hand,” said Bob Coleman, U.K. equine extension specialist. “Make sure you have what you will need or make a plan to make best use of what you have and extend your supply as long as possible.”

The nutrient profile of hay is important. It’s not too late for horse owners and managers to get a hay analysis from their winter hay supply and determine exactly what that hay will supply to their horses. Local county extension offices can help with taking proper samples and sending them to the lab for testing.

“If you’ve already started feeding hay earlier than you planned, take inventory of how many bales you have left and how many pounds of hay you have available,” Coleman said. “Make sure your storage method has kept the hay in good shape. You don’t want to find out later that your tarp ripped and caused bales to spoil from excessive moisture.”

Coleman recommends getting a good estimate on body weight for all horses because that number determines the animal’s daily nutrient needs and feed intake requirements. Horse owners can use a heart girth tape to get an estimate or use the Healthy Horse app, available through Android and Apple app stores, to estimate current and ideal body weight.

“The body weight is so important when you are determining how much to feed horses each day,” he said. “A 1,000-pound horse needs to eat 2% of its body weight each day, so about 20 pounds of feed. It doesn’t seem like a lot of hay, but if you underestimate your horse’s weight and buy 100 days’ worth of hay for a 1,000-pound animal that actually weighs 1,200 pounds, you’ll be short by more than eight bales per horse.”

A horse’s body condition scores can change, so it’s a good idea to monitor each animal throughout the season to make sure feed management is working.

“If your horses are gaining in body condition score, you might be able to feed less, while horses that are losing body condition score, may need more,” he said.

The way horse owners feed hay may contribute to cost savings or losses. Research shows that using a feeder that minimizes hay waste results in significant savings in feed costs. Just feeding on the ground can result in as much as 57% feed waste.

“Get a good feel for how long a bale lasts and how much the horses are cleaning up,” Coleman said. “If they are leaving hay behind, you might be feeding too much or not using a waste-reducing feeder. If you keep a good watch on body condition score and manage your reserves well, you can probably get through the winter with more than enough.”

The U.K. College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, through its land-grant mission, reaches across the commonwealth with teaching, research and extension to enhance the lives of Kentuckians.

Further Reading

◆ Video: How to Evaluate Hay Quality
◆ Hay Buyer’s Guide
◆ What to Feed Your Horse in a Hay Shortage
◆ Hay Before Grain?
◆ Should You Supplement Your Horse’s Hay-Based Diet

The post Horse Owners Should Check Their Winter Hay Supply  appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

“Cooked hay?” That’s what four-time Olympic dressage rider Ashley Holzer asked when a friend recommended steamed hay two years ago. Even though high-temperature hay steaming has been available for over 10 years, Ashley wasn’t the only equestrian unfamiliar with its many benefits. Ashley has since become a big believer, as have equestrians around the world—from Olympians to regular horse owners.

But why?

Well, the short answer is that hay can be harmful to your horse because it contains microscopic bits of mold, dust, fungi, bacteria and other pathogens and allergens. This is true even of hay that looks and smells great and has top nutrient quality. Storing hay can increase the quantity of all these particles that are present from the get-go because of the way hay is grown, harvested and transported.

All of these inhalable particles can harm a horse’s respiratory and digestive system and increase susceptibility to developing more severe conditions.

Steamed hay was developed by Haygain in conjunction with the Royal Agricultural University in the U.K., in 2009. The goal was to eliminate these unhealthy elements without leaching important nutrients, as happens with the messy and laborious process of soaking hay.

Numerous and ongoing studies demonstrate Haygain Steamed Hay’s ability to improve horses’ respiratory and digestive health, hydration, appetite, skin health, and performance.

Respiratory Health

Steaming eliminates up to 99% of the dust, mold, bacteria and allergens found in hay. All of these are the main source of respiratory issues that affect a surprisingly high percentage of active sport horses: over 80% and often without obvious symptoms.

In March of 2019, The Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published a study in which 88% of the 731 participating sport horses suffered from inflammatory airway disease (IAD), a condition on the Equine Asthma Spectrum. The horses that were fed Haygain Steamed Hay had a 65% reduced risk of IAD. The study attributed this to steaming’s ability to kill fungi in hay, which has a high correlation to IAD.

As with all aspects of horse health, prevention is the best medicine. Steamed hay is a great step for maintaining respiratory health and for helping horses with existing issues live and perform comfortably.

Castle Larchfield Purdy, a 2016 Olympic eventer with Lauren Billys, is a classic example. His mild case of Inflammatory Airway Disease is managed so effectively with steamed hay’s help that he’s met the rigorous qualifications for the Tokyo Olympics.

Digestive Health

Pathogens commonly found in hay can trigger significant digestive health issues like colic and ulcers. Clean hay reduces these risks and improves the digestive tract’s ability to digest and absorb nutrients.

Hay steaming also increases hydration. Dehydration can be life-threatening, in part because clinical signs are often not noticed until the condition is at a very advanced stage. One study found that steamed hay increases water consumption by three times.

Palatability

Four independent palatability studies and owners’ anecdotal reports indicate that most horses prefer the taste of steamed hay. That’s why veterinarians like it for horses coming out of surgery: the appealing taste and smell helps patients get back on their nutrition plan, aiding their overall recovery.

Good-tasting hay also helps prevent ulcers because it keeps horses chewing and eating more and for longer periods of time. That mimics what nature intended for the digestive process of these grazing animals.

Stopping The Allergy Spiral

Like people, horses are subject to allergic responses to a multitude of airborne particles found in the stabling environment. Because a horse that’s suffered from one allergy is more susceptible to another, it’s critical to remove allergens to every extent possible.

It’s even more important for horses with insect bite hypersensitivity because that goes hand-in-hand with increased airway hypersensitivity. This can make a horse more vulnerable to the allergens in hay.

Performance

After soundness issues, many veterinarians put respiratory function as the biggest performance limiter in otherwise healthy horses. Which, in a way, is good because so much can be done to protect and improve it. Feeding Haygain Steamed Hay decreases exposure to potentially harmful allergens, pathogens and other bacteria, improving overall health and performance.

And that’s why steamed hay is now a foundation of healthy horse management.

For more information, please visit www.Haygain.us. Or find them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube.

The post The Benefits of Hay Steaming appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Do you know how to evaluate hay quality to determine if the hay you are purchasing is really right for your horse? As we move into fall and winter, horse owners need to make sure they have enough hay of good quality to feed through the cold months. Amy Burk, PhD, MS, an associate professor in the Department of Animal and Avian Sciences at the University of Maryland has put together a new video lecture on how to evaluate hay quality and what kinds of hay are best for different horses. This is one of the most requested presentation topics on horse care at the University of Maryland.

The presentation covers:

• When to feed hay
• Types of hay
• How hay is made
• Ways to predict hay quality
• Differences in hay cuts and what to look for when choosing hay
• How to get a chemical analysis of hay
• How to help the horse when you have low-quality hay
• Nutrient requirements of horses
• How to match hay samples to a horse’s nutrient requirements

Knowing more can help you purchase the right type of hay for the winter and all year round.

Read more:

• Hay Buyer’s Guide
• Ask the Vet: How’s the Hay?
• Choose the Right Hay for Your Horse

The post Video: How to Evaluate Hay Quality appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Picture this: It’s hay season in your area—almost time for the first cutting. The grass is already knee-high, the days are long and dry, and farmers are prepping their machines for the work ahead. All of this is good news for you, because it means that your horses will have a fine supply of hay to get them through next winter. But if you’re like many horse owners, you might have only a couple of acres, which your small herd of horses use for grazing. With all of your available cleared land used for pasture, you’re in the same boat as many small-scale horse owners: buying hay and hauling it in from another location. 

To do that, you’ll need to be a smart hay buyer, so we’ve gathered some tips to help you out. We’ll assume for the steps here that you’re purchasing small square bales.

1. What should I look for?

The exact type of hay you buy will vary from region to region—you’ll find hardy Timothy in many colder regions, but this cool-season grass doesn’t fare as well in warmer or drier climates, where alfalfa, orchard grass, and other types might be more common. Luckily, the basics of buying hay are pretty straightforward, because all quality hay—no matter what specific variety of grass or legumes it contains—shares some of the same attributes. 

First, you’ll want to find hay that was stored properly and kept dry after it was cut, but you should also make sure the hay was not rained on in the field during the drying process (despite best efforts, this commonly happens). This can lead to brown, unappealing hay at best and moldy hay at worst. 

Good hay retains its best nutritional value if it’s cut at the right point of maturity and not left growing in the field too long, getting over-mature and stemmy. When this happens, the protein levels in the hay drop, while the plant’s indigestible structural fiber (lignin) content increases. 

Overdrying can also be a problem. Hay that was overdried may not mold, but it can get dusty, since the fine, leafy materials will be more likely to shatter if they’re too dry. 

Ideally, good hay should retain an overall light green color, and the dust content should be low. Finally, quality hay will simply smell nice. 

2. Where do I get it?

If you’re lucky enough to live in or close to “hay country”—hooray for you! It makes the job of buying and transporting hay that much simpler, and you may find yourself paying less because of it. 

This could be the case if you live in the Midwest, where horse hay is often available within a reasonable distance. If you do live in hay country, here’s one tip to keep in mind: Many hay farmers prefer to sell hay straight off the field. If you can manage to take a delivery of hay shortly after it’s cut (or even help pick it up off the fields yourself), it saves the hay farmer a lot of effort in loading and unloading hay in and out of the barn. You might even be able to negotiate a per-bale discount this way, since your flexibility is saving the farmer time and therefore money. The downside is that you may have to handle and store uncured hay.

In other areas—California or Florida, for example, both of which often import hay from other states—you may have no choice but to buy hay long-distance or from a supplier. 

Remember, the hay growing season in your state may differ somewhat from the supplier’s state, so do some research well ahead of time to understand when your hay will be made. Splitting a load with another horse owner or two can help keep costs down, since you’ll be able to buy in bulk but only take home and store the reasonable amount that you require.

3. How will I move it?

If your hay source will deliver the hay to you for a reasonable cost, then consider this option. Hay is heavy, and the equipment required to move large amounts (300+ bales) is expensive and requires experience to drive. 

But if you’re planning to haul small amounts of hay (perhaps 50 bales or less), then you have quite a few options. Small trailers designed for hauling machines (like ATVs or riding lawnmowers) are often handy for hay transport, provided you don’t load them past their safe weight rating. 

Your (clean) horse trailer can also haul hay in a pinch—the advantage here is that you can utilize a rig you already own. Even the bed of a pickup truck might be sufficient to move 10 or 15 bales if they’re strapped down; this might work if you don’t have far to travel. 

4. Where will I store it?

In addition to locating a hay source, many horse owners that are buying hay, then have to solve the puzzle of where to put it. Ideally, you won’t store your hay in the same building with your horses. Even if your stable has some storage space—perhaps in a loft, or a spare stall—this might be better used for storing bedding or other supplies, rather than fresh hay. 

The reason is simple: Uncured hay straight off the field represents a potential fire danger, as the excess moisture in the interior of the bales can create a considerable amount of heat until it completely dries out. Provided your hay farmer is experienced and uses a moisture tester to check the moisture content of the hay, this most likely won’t be an issue, but it’s still wise to play it safe anyway. 

This curing process can take several weeks. During this time, it’s best to keep the hay in a building separate from your stable. Later on when the hay is fully cured, you could potentially move it in closer to your horses. 

But let’s say you have no other option—that spare stall is the only practical hay storage you have. In that case, be sure that the hay you buy has aged well past its cut date before stacking, and plan on stacking the hay loosely, if possible. 

Ideally, your hay would be stored in its own dedicated hay barn—a pole building or an older, pre-existing barn on your property. But not everyone has a building like this available to them. 

Other options for storing small amounts of hay include small sheds or unused garage bays, providing that these locations are dry but well-ventilated. Fabric shelters or hoop buildings (they look sort of like greenhouses) are inexpensive for the square footage they offer, and can be a decent—though only semi-permanent—hay storage option. 

Three-sided sheds and lean-tos are a possibility, but problematic. In good weather these structures may serve as viable hay storage, but the minute you add rain, wind, or snow into the equation, it becomes very challenging to fully protect the hay from moisture. The same holds true for attempts to store hay outdoors on pallets and under tarps—it’s difficult to prevent moisture from destroying the hay, so these systems should be considered a last resort. 

If you simply don’t have room to store enough hay for a whole year, you’ll probably have no choice but to haul in small amounts several times annually. If going this route, try to find a hay supplier and develop a good working relationship so that they understand you are going to be a long-term customer. 

They may be able to hold hay for you and allow you to pick up small amounts as you need it, which eliminates the need for you to have to store large quantities of hay.

Ideally, try to not bury your remaining hay from the previous year under your new load. Also, be sure to mix in the new hay into your horse’s ration slowly over a few days to avoid an abrupt change in forage. 

With your smart shopping and storage strategies, your horse will be enjoying his fresh new quality hay through the season ahead. 

This article originally appeared in the July 2019 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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