Horse Hay: Ten Tips For Choosing The Best!High-quality horse hay can be an important source of essential nutrients in your horse’s diet. Your horse will eat 2 to 2.5% of its body weight a day and for optimum health, nutritionists recommend that at least half of this should be roughage such as hay. For a 1000-pound horse, that means at least 10 pounds of roughage each day. Here are some tips on choosing the best hay for your horse: 1. Evaluate it. Ask that one or several bales are opened so you can see the hay inside the bales. Do not worry about slight discoloration on the outside, especially in stacked hay. 2. Feel it. Choose hay that is as fine-stemmed, green and leafy as possible and is soft to the touch. 3. Smell it. Avoid hay that smells moldy, musty, dusty or fermented. 4. Age it. Select horse hay that has been harvested when the plants are in early bloom for legume hay or before seed heads have formed in grasses. Check the leaves, stems and flowers or seed pods to determine the level of maturity. 5. Judge it. Avoid hay that contains significant amounts of weeds, dirt, trash or debris. 6. Eyeball it. Examine hay for signs of insect infestation or disease. Be especially careful to check for blister beetles in alfalfa. Ask the grower about any potential problems in the region. 7. Weigh it. Reject bales that seem excessively heavy for their size or feel warm to the touch, as they could contain excess moisture that could cause mold, or worse, spontaneous combustion. 8. Use it. When possible, purchase and feed hay within a year of harvest to preserve its nutritional value. 9. Store it. Store hay in a dry, sheltered area out of the rain, snow and sun, or cover the stack to protect it from the elements. 10. Analyze it. When buying horse hay in quantity, have it analyzed by a certified forage laboratory to determine its actual nutrient content. Remember that horses at different ages and stages of growth, development and activity have different dietary requirements. Consult your veterinarian or a qualified equine nutritionist when formulating your horse’s ration. He or she can help you put together a balanced diet that is safe, nutritious and cost-effective.
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