What is the best hay for performance horses?

What is the best forage for horses to eat?

Our top choice for most horses is the Premium Compressed Bermuda Hay Bale Horse Forage from Ametza. It’s an all-natural feed made entirely of compressed Bermuda hay, which is more easily digestible than alfalfa and offers plenty of calcium and vitamin A. It’s completely free of blister beetles and even comes in a reusable bag.

How can I improve my horse’s hay quality?

If the hay is marginal, your horse may benefit from additional high quality protein, perhaps from either higher feeding rate on the senior feed, assuming it is a product with guaranteed amino acid content, or the addition of a higher protein balancer product as well. Also, would be useful to know the target weight for your horse.

Is Hay the only forage for horses?

During certain times of year, hay may be the only forage available to horses and therefore the selection of well-preserved hay harvested at the appropriate stage of maturity is critical. Hay can be classified into three general types: legume, grass, and mixed.

What is forage feed for horses?

Forage feed (grass or hay) provides a horse with the fibre necessary to keep the horse’s digestive system functioning properly and a horse should have access to forage feed through much of the day and night. Forage feed should make up at least half, preferably all, of a horse’s daily intake of food.

What can I use instead of hay for a horse?

Forage Substitutes for Horses. Forages such as long stem hay and/or pasture grasses and legumes are the traditional cornerstones of horse rations. A good source of forage should comprise at least 50% of a horse’s daily intake, which would be 12 to 15 lbs of dry hay for the average adult horse.

Is alfalfa hay safe for horses?

Alfalfa hay that is fed to horses must be free from the presence of blister beetles to be a safe forage (see Forage Toxicity section). Alfalfa, like most other legumes, is generally higher in crude protein, digestibility, and minerals when compared to grasses.

Should you add legumes to your horse’s diet?

Performance horses may also benefit from some added legumes in their diet, though not for the extra protein. Performance horses are at higher risk of developing gastric ulcers, and the higher amounts of calcium within legume hay tends to buffer the gastric acids and may reduce the severity or incidence of gastric ulcers.

What makes good hay for your horse?

The same is true for your horse. Good quality hay should have a fresh cut smell and appearance. Avoid musty, moldy or off-setting smelling hay, because it can reduce palatability and indicate poor quality. 5. Cleanliness

Why is it important to choose the best quality hay?

Because it’s such a big part of the ration, a good quality hay can help keep a horse healthy, while a poor quality hay can be detrimental. This is why, as nutritionists and horse owners, we put a big emphasis on the quality of hay we feed. The nutritional value of hay is the most important factor when determining its quality.

What is the best alternative forage for horses?

“The alternative forage (hay cube or hay pellet) should be the same hay type as the hay,” she adds. “For example, if timothy hay is being fed, a timothy hay cube should also be fed.”

What is a hay balancer for horses?

When good quality hay for your horse is scarce or too costly, you may need to compensate for poorer quality hay. You can do this by supplementing with a quality balanced horse feed. Hay balancers help provide the missing essential nutrients the horse requires in the diet.

What happens if you eat too much alfalfa?

Too much alfalfa requires a lot of calcium to buffer the acidic metabolites from protein metabolism. If there is not enough calcium available, the body will remove calcium from the bones, joints, and muscles. In addition, alfalfa can overstimulate the pituitary gland.

Can you feed alfalfa to HYPP horses?

Myth: Alfalfa cannot be fed to HYPP horses because of the high potassium. Fact: Grass hays can be high in potassium too. In fact, depending on when they were cut, they could be even higher. Insulin-resistant horses prone to laminitis may be sensitive to alfalfa.

What is the difference between Alfalfa and grass hays?

Alfalfa has lower indigestible fiber than grass hays. High quality (“dairy”) alfalfa supplies 20% to 25% more calories per pound than grass hays, although the difference is much smaller for more mature cuts of alfalfa. Heavily pregnant or lactating mares, and young rapidly growing horses, benefit from alfalfa’s high protein content.

Is alfalfa hay bad for horses with ragweed?

The high concentration of potassium in alfalfa can cause the symptoms of the disease to worsen. Horses who are allergic to ragweed should avoid alfalfa hay because they may have an allergic reaction.

Should forage forages be measured for pregnant horses?

Forages fed to lactating, pregnant, or growing horses should be analyzed rather than relying on published averages if at all possible.

How do you increase the feeding time of a horse?

In addition, feeding time can be increased by two hours when a horse is fed hay in three double layered haynets hung in different locations in the stable, compared to when a single haynet is given 10. The comparison of feeding methods using a hay bag, slow feeder and hay on the floor investigated the behaviour and welfare of a group of horses 11.

What are the best animals to share a pasture with?

Sheep and cows, especially small breed cows such as Dexters, can be excellent horse buddies. They can share a pasture so they graze contentedly side by side all day.

Can I use bagged forage instead of hay for horses?

Bagged chopped forage. It can replace all of your horse’s hay, if necessary. 2. Hay cubes. Chopped cubed hay (usually alfalfa or timothy or a combination) is another 100-percent replacement. Soak cubes to reduce risk of choke.

Can I use alfalfa pellets instead of hay for horses?

It can replace all of your horse’s hay, if necessary. 2. Hay cubes. Chopped cubed hay (usually alfalfa or timothy or a combination) is another 100-percent replacement. Soak cubes to reduce risk of choke. 3. Hay pellets. Forage that has been dehydrated, ground and cooked to make pellets can technically replace hay.

Should I Feed my horse Legume hay?

So, feeding legume hay (or another high protein feed) if the high level of protein isn’t needed, not only hurts your wallet, but also hurts your nose! That nitrogen excretion results in additional ammonia in your horse’s stall, which can be irritating to your nose and lungs, as well as your horse’s.

Are legume and Legume-grass pastures good for horses?

When grass was added to the clover, the pastures had better ground cover compared to clover planted without grass. All legume and legume-grass pastures provide a high level of nutrition and exceed the needs of an adult, idle horse. Equine digestible energy (DE) was high across all legume and legume-grass pastures.

What can I use as a forage substitute?

Hay is the common alternative when natural forage is unavailable. Unfortunately, good quality hay is not always easy to find, which means forage substitutes may be required. The most difficult challenge with a forage substitute is to ensure adequate fiber and roughage.

What can I Feed my horse instead of forage?

Natural grasses and legumes can fill all the nutritional requirements for horses, and the fiber is needed to maintain a healthy digestive system. Hay is the common alternative when natural forage is unavailable. Unfortunately, good quality hay is not always easy to find, which means forage substitutes may be required.

What are the best alternatives to fiber for horses?

Some common alternatives include hay cubes, complete feeds, and fiber byproducts. Hay cubes are an excellent fiber source for horses, and are generally easily accessible at most feed stores.