Horses eat So, a 1,pound horse should eat about pounds of roughage. The amount of hay they need will decrease if they are given access to pasture and if they are given any grain or other feed.
This can also vary based on their work load and individual metabolism. If you purchase pound bales, your horse may eat half a bale per day. This would be around 28 bales every 4 weeks. This depends entirely on your pasture access and climate. If you have access to grassy fields year-round, you may not need any hay in the winter.
Depending on the quality of hay and the weight of your hay bales, you could be feeding around half a bale per day in the winter. The best hay for your horse over winter is the one that is available, that was cut and stored correctly, that offers adequate, balanced nutrients, that your horse wants to eat, and that you can afford. You will likely need some sort of slow-feeding method to prevent the horse from overindulging out of boredom, or you will need to space out feedings throughout the day.
They sure can! When horses get bored, they want to be entertained. If your horse is in this situation it is best to find a slow-feeding option, like a hay net , to slow down their consumption.
Many people just drop the hay on the ground, but if you want to slow your horse down, keep the hay clean, or reduce waste there are several options. Durable hay nets are a must, because they will get a lot of use, and horses are talented at destroying things.
For the average pleasure horse, a high-quality grass hay is ideal. Timothy, Orchard, or Coastal are all great options. Timothy hay is a great option for many horses. Oftentimes people will allow wet hay to go through a curing process for a couple weeks, but it is dangerous to feed to horses during this time. Hay that is baled too wet also runs the risk of catching on fire or growing dangerous mold.
You will often hear people tell you that the second cutting is best since first cuttings can have seed heads and third cuttings have less nutrients and more fiber. But, these characteristics do not make or break hay.
Second cutting hay that was improperly stored is way worse than third cutting hay that was handled well. Timothy-Alfalfa, Orchardgrass-Alfalfa, and Timothy-Orchardgrass-Alfalfa mixes are very popular since they have the added energy boost of a legume. If you are planting fields for hay production, you will need to contact your local extension office for more information.
The best hay seed mix will depend entirely on your climate and soil conditions. It may look mundane to the naked eye, but the seed pods have thistles and are coated with microscopic barbs. I began riding horses at age six, and I'm just as infatuated OK, more! My AQHA gelding exemplifies the versatility of the breed -- reined cow horse, reining, roping, ranch riding, trail, dressage, and jumping.
We're also dipping our toes hooves into Working Equitation! Written by Horse Rookie. Yes, horses eat hay. But, knowing how to feed hay is more complicated than you might think.
Article Quick Links show. Selecting a Hay Type. Picking Out Bales. Hay Testing. Q: How do horses digest hay? Q: What hay is best for horses? Q: How many bales of hay does a horse eat a day? Per month? Q: How much hay do you need to feed a horse in winter? Q: What is the best hay for horses in the winter? Q: Should horses have hay all the time? Q: Can a horse overeat hay? Q: What are the best horse hay feeders? Red clover causes "slobbers" in horses.
Slobbers is excessive salivation that does not hurt the horse. Right: Red clover. Any of the common hays discussed above can be fed to horses, but what's most important is nutrient value in relation to the cost of the hay. To evaluate the quality of hay, the following questions should be considered:. At what stage was the hay harvested? Nutrient value largely depends on the age at which the hay was harvested.
Early maturity hay is very leafy and has a high nutrient density and palatability. Late maturity hay contains coarse, thick stems and fewer leaves than early maturity hay. As plants mature and reach the reproductive stage of development, their protein content, digestibility, and palatability decline. The ratio of stem to leaf increases with maturity, so the plant has a higher fiber content.
Maximum nutrient content can be obtained by harvesting legumes when a few flowers start to appear. Grasses are harvested when the seed heads begin to appear, and grain hays when the grain is in the soft-dough stage. Hay type should be matched to the horse type. Early maturity hay would be perfect for growing horses and lactating mares, but it may not be the best choice for horses with low nutrient requirements. Mid- to late-maturity hays are best for horses with low nutrient requirements, because the horses can eat more to satisfy their appetites without overeating and becoming fat.
Horse owners also ask whether first or second-cut hay is better. There is more variation within a cutting than between cuttings. First-cut hay is often discriminated against for several reasons -- rain damage or rain delays make hay harvest occur at advanced maturity, and there may be more weeds present. One problem with late first-cut mixed hays is course steminess of both alfalfa and grasses, resulting in reduced intake of the grass.
Second-cutting hay can generally be put up without rain delays. However, overly-mature second-cut hay can still be less palatable and nutritious. The best bet is to view the hay, see its condition and ask for a hay analysis. Visually inspecting hay for texture, cleanliness and odor will help determine overall quality and suitability. Image right.
How many leaves and stems are present? Harvesting procedures can affect the leaf content. Excessive movement of the hay during the drying process can shatter the leaves.
Overdried hay will lose its leaves when baled. Stem content is related to the age at which the plant was harvested. The ratio of stem to leaf increases as age increases so that the hay has a higher fiber content.
In addition, rainfall at the proper time during the growing season will affect hay quality. Drought conditions result in stunted growth and fewer leaves. Excessive moisture often leads to diseases that decrease leaf production.
Alfalfa leaves are on the left and grass leaves are shown on the right. Image left. Is the hay free of dust, mold, and weeds? Clean hay is the best hay for horses. Mold and dust can inflame the respiratory tract and impair breathing. Many horses can develop permanent lung damage after consuming moldy or dusty hay.
Heaves is a common respiratory problem that occurs when a horse consumes moldy or dusty hay. Mold can also cause digestive upsets in the horse. Weeds are undesirable in hays because they are low in digestibility and acceptability by the horse.
In some cases they may also be poisonous. Many times, hay will not be consumed by the horse if weeds are present. Hoary alyssum is a weed that is toxic to horses and is most common in Midwestern fields. Is the hay free of insects? Alfalfa hay may be infected with blister beetles. When a horse eats a blister beetle, a chemical in the beetle causes colic, fever, and eventually death. Historically, blister beetles have been most abundant in arid regions of the U.
Unfortunately, there is no sampling method that can detect toxic levels of blister beetles in cured hay. For more information on blister beetles and how to prevent blister-beetle toxicity, go to the University of Kentucky Entomology web site. There are many varieties of blister beetles. The toxicity level of this beetle is dependent on the species and sex, with striped male beetles being the most toxic.
Is the hay weathered? Weather conditions affect field-cured hay--hay that is left out in the field to dry after it has been cut. Rain and excessive sunlight reduce the quality of hay by reducing the nutrient content.
Rain beats the leaves from legumes, leaches out soluble carbohydrates, and packs the hay so it doesn't dry properly. If hay is baled when it is too moist, it will become moldy and have a musty, moldy odor.
Excessive sunlight will bleach the color of the leaves and causes a loss of vitamin A. If hay is cured too slowly, hay will ferment and lose its nutrient content. The ideal moisture content of hay when it is baled is 12 to 18 percent moisture.
Excessive moisture due to rain can cause the hay to mold when it is baled or processed. Dry weather is critical for harvesting quality hay. Cutting the hay is the first step in harvesting. Having your hay analyzed is a great idea. It is the only way to determine the actual nutrient content of the hay. It is important to know this so that you can be sure your horse is consuming an adequate diet. You may or may not need to feed grain, depending on the quality of your hay.
The better the quality of the hay you feed, the less grain you will need to feed. This can be a significant savings.
In order to have your hay analyzed chemically, you will need to get a hay sample. Use a core sampler and try to sample from at least 20 to 25 different bales. Be sure to penetrate into the center of the bale with the core sampler.
Ask that one or several bales are opened so you can evaluate the hay inside the bales. Do not worry about slight discoloration on the outside, especially in stacked hay. Choose hay that is as fine-stemmed, green and leafy as possible, and is soft to the touch.
Avoid hay that is overcured, excessively sun-bleached, or smells moldy, musty, dusty or fermented. Select hay that has been harvested when the plants are in early bloom for legume hay or before seed heads have formed in grasses.
Examine the leaves, stems and flowers or seed pods to determine the level of maturity. Examine hay for signs of insect infestation or disease. Be especially careful to check for blister beetles in alfalfa.
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