How long to soak hay for horses is one of those questions that you hear asked by owners time after time, especially in the summer months, and there’s a lot of confusion around the subject. If your horse is overweight, dust sensitive, prone to laminitis or has equine metabolic syndrome (EMS), it’s probably something you’ve questioned at some point.

Horses in these categories may have excessive body fat, which can contribute to many other conditions, such as some types of colic and arthritis, and affects the body’s normal hormonal processes. Overweight horses are also more likely to have EMS, which is a condition that encompasses insulin dysregulation and predisposes horses to laminitis.

Tackling weight gain for these horses is a potential life-or-death factor, so we’ve asked independent equine nutritionist Clare MacLeod MSc RNutr to help you work out what’s best for your horse.

Why soak hay for horses?

The two main reasons are to reduce nutrient intake (when helping horses to lose weight) or minimise dust (for horses with respiratory problems).

Horses have evolved to spend most of their time chewing fibre, and to receive most of their daily calories from grass, hay and haylage. Often, forage oversupplies calories to horses, contributing to weight gain and obesity.

Soaking hay is an effective method for reducing its energy (calorie), water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC), or sugar and fructan content. This helps cut sugar and restrict calories from an equine diet.

Fructans are not the same as sugar, Clare explains. “They are sugar units joined with bonds that are fermented in the hindgut, rather than broken down by digestive enzymes.

“Research shows some fructan is broken down via bacterial fermentation in the small intestine. This is likely why it contributes to insulin response.”

This means fructans also contribute to laminitis.

How long to soak hay for horses: things every owner should know

The length of time you’d soak hay for depends on the desired result.

You might soak hay for 15-30 minutes to minimise dust for a horse with respiratory problems.

Soaking hay for 30 minutes to an hour slightly reduces its calorie and WSC content. However, the reduction may be insufficient to keep an obese horse in a calorie deficit, which is necessary for weight loss.

“Losses from soaking can vary,” says Clare. “It depends on factors including the composition of the hay, the amount of water used and the temperature,”

“Therefore, research that shows significant losses of WSCs in an hour or two cannot necessarily be relied upon in all real-life situations.

“In addition we are not soaking just for sugar and fructan loss but also for energy (calories). Reducing sugar without a significant reduction in calories will be insufficient for weight-loss targets.

“It’s not just sugar that horses get calories from – it’s fructan and fibre, too!”

Clare says water temperature can also influence nutrient loss.

“Losses are quicker in warmer water, so we might find we can soak for less time in summer, compared to winter, and in large volumes of water, so using as much as you can is key.”

Can you soak hay overnight?

Soaking hay for longer periods of 8–12 hours, or overnight, is considered suboptimal by some due to nutrient loss and the risk of fermentation.

But, according to Clare, a balance must be struck.

“Long soaking [10+ hours] reduces dry matter – the amount of actual hay, and fibre. Therefore, we need to take this into account and slightly increase the weight of hay to accommodate this loss.

“Increasing the weight of long-soaked hay by 20% can accommodate this, but the long-soak generally means we would be feeding hay at a higher rate anyway, since it becomes less nutritious.

“This is part of the benefit of long-soaking hay: it means we can feed more forage to our horse or pony while maintaining the calorie deficit they need for weight loss or healthy weight maintenance.”

As well as feeding more soaked hay, Clare adds that owners should use the bucket feed to ensure optimal nutrition.

“In terms of nutrient intake, we do need to carefully balance the diet with long-soaked hay,” she says.

“This can be done by adding a well-formulated feed balancer, such as a low-calorie compound concentrate fed at 100g per 100kg bodyweight, if there is no grass in the diet.”

Clare recommends considering long-soaking hay in cost-benefit terms for overall equine health.

“Although bacterial count can increase on long-soaked hay, there is no evidence showing this occurs to a level that is harmful to the horse. Plus, horses and ponies have been fed long-soaked hay for years with good results,” explains Clare.

“We should only soak for as long as necessary, but also realise that a slightly elevated bacterial count in hay is less unhealthy than chronic obesity with altered metabolic parameters, for example insulin dysregulation and/or laminitis.”

How long does soaked hay last?

As a rule, Clare says that soaked hay should be fed as soon as it has drained. Avoid re-presenting any uneaten quantity to your horse.

The quality of the hay to be soaked will likely influence its longevity.

“We should select only good hygienic quality hay for long-soaking,” she continues. “By this, I mean hay that is not dusty, with no signs of a high mould spore count (no fine smoke-like clouds that go airborne when you pull it apart).”

Other good hygiene practices to improve the life of soaked hay include:

• Soaking out of direct sunlight
• Using clean water for every soak
• Keeping soaking vessels and haynets clean
• Using the largest volume of water possible to speed up the effects of soaking
• Avoiding a long soak (for 10+ hours) unless you have to
• Remove and dispose of any uneaten portions

If the hygienic quality of your hay is suboptimal and there is no alternative, Clare says you could steam after soaking to improve the hygiene.

“With less than ideal hay to soak, using straw to replace some of the hay ration might be a better choice than a long soak,” she continues. “However, very dusty or mouldy hay should never be fed to horses.”

How long to soak hay for horses prone to laminitis

While we can’t put an exact figure on how long to soak hay for laminitis, Clare has a rule of thumb to follow.

“I recommend soaking for as short a time as possible, but with caveats,” she says.

“The soak time should also be as long as it takes for that horse or pony to be able to be fed enough forage to avoid more than a four-hour fast, whilst still receiving the correct amount of energy (calories) for the desired result.

“That might be for weight loss, or maintenance if they are at a healthy bodyweight, and to control the laminitis.

“So, it really does depend on the hay, and the individual horse or pony.”

How to dispose of water from hay soaking

To prevent pollution, you should not allow uncontrolled draining from the waste water used to soak hay.

You should store liquid waste in a waterproof container and then dispose of it at a permitted facility or land spread – for more information, visit gov.uk.

You must get permission from your local water company to dispose of liquid waste to the sewer or a controlled water source. For more information, visit gov.uk

• For unlimited access to advice on how best to care for your horse, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Equestrians may have to start thinking outside the box when it comes to alternative forage sources for horses, scientists have suggested, if recent weather trends are here to stay.

Last summer’s low hay yield in some parts of the country, followed by a dry summer and very wet late winter, have created problems for many owners and yards.

Possible ways of coping with this situation, should it become the norm, will be discussed at a public lecture at the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) in Cirencester on 25 February.

“Researchers in the equine industry are now keen to develop a greater understanding of the forages we feed our horses, as well as to look into alternative forages and new feeds, both of which they believe will be essential in order to be able to manage horses sustainably into the future,” an RAU spokesperson said.

The lecture will be led by Simon Daniels, RAU associate professor of equine science, and his former colleague Meriel Moore-Colyer, now professor of equine science at Hartpury University.

Professor Moore-Colyer has been studying haylage for some 35 years and in more recent years, she and Dr Daniels have been part of a research group looking into forage.

“There are ways we can think imaginatively around this problem, but I would think haylage might become a crop that’s a bit more used, and that we can conserve within our climate,” she said. “You can conserve it earlier, when we still have a bit of moisture; we were still getting quite a lot of rainfall in April, and that’s when they can start making haylage and silage.”

Professor Moore-Colyer said this earlier harvesting could be more productive than waiting for hay to grow in a dry late spring and early summer.

Alternative forage sources for horses

Dr Daniels said that horses will always need forage, and the key may be considering different forage options.

“We have colleagues in Germany, for example, who have been looking at different approaches. They’ve been making more alfalfa hay at some studs, because it’s something they can grow and conserve. I think probably, going forward, we might have to think a bit differently if we’re going to keep having years of variable weather.”

Dr Daniels said he would like to “bust some myths” about haylage; some owners think it is more acidic so should not be fed to horses prone to ulcers. But, he explained, the saliva produced by chewing means the haylage is not acidic by the time it reaches the stomach.

“If there’s lots of water-soluble carbohydrate in the haylage that might ferment in the stomach, that we don’t know the answer to, but I think owners worry that haylage is acidic, so not suitable for horses with gastric ulcers, but actually we don’t truly know that, and if they’re chewing well, it might not be a problem.

“People are obviously concerned about a lack of forage, but maybe we do have forage options available, but we’re not truly exploring.

“Mariel did some work, years ago, feeding ponies silage. It might not be the most appropriate, but we do have forage sources we could probably explore better, that we know we can conserve, but we’re very hay focused, because that’s what’s always done.”

Nutritional value

Another issue both scientists are interested in is nutrient quality of forage; if this is better, it could mean less need for concentrated feed.

“We need people to understand a bit more about the energy they can get from forage, and we need better analysis,” Dr Daniels said, adding that this is an area his team is looking into.

Professor Moore-Colyer agreed that alfalfa could help here too; analysis has shown it is a very good source of crude protein.

“So that’s something; mix alfalfa with haylage and you have a balanced diet,” she said. “And we can grow good alfalfa in this country.”

Both scientists agreed that the key is to start thinking differently.

“We’re not saying ‘You need to change everything’,” Professor Moore-Colyer said. “We’re just suggesting a little shift here, a little shift there. It’s not saying ‘I can’t feed hay again’; you might be able to feed a bit of hay and a bit of something else, so that’s going to be our message.”

The lecture starts at 6.30pm on 25 February and tickets are available online.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking equestrian news throughout 2026, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Horse owners are urged to keep planning ahead and to work together as hay prices and availability creates challenges for some equestrians.

H&H reported in September on calls for owners to prepare for a potentially challenging winter, owing to low hay yields in certain parts of the country and weather conditions meaning many were feeding hay earlier (news, 4 September).

Figures from the British Hay and Straw Merchants’ Association, shared by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, show hay prices per tonne for big square bales averaged £143 during the week ending 25 January. This compares to £74 for the same week in 2025 – an increase of £69.

Owners are reporting mixed experiences, some are having no problems in availability or cost, but others have faced challenges. Equestrians have been warned that panic buying will not help – but urged to keep talking to their suppliers and planning ahead with their orders.

Sarah Dale, head of business support at the British Horse Society (BHS), told H&H the BHS is already seeing the impact of reduced hay yields being felt across the country.

“Some yards [were] producing significantly less forage than usual and being forced to buy in at prices far higher than expected. Others who rely entirely on external suppliers are also facing steep increases, and this additional pressure is affecting the financial sustainability of many equestrian businesses,” she said.

“In some cases, yards have had no option but to increase livery fees to cover these unforeseen costs, which has sadly led to some horse owners having to make difficult decisions.”

She added that the BHS is also receiving an increasing number of calls to its welfare helpline from concerned owners, seeking advice on managing hay shortages and maintaining their horses’ wellbeing.

“We would encourage everyone to plan as far ahead as possible, explore alternative forage options where appropriate, and seek advice early if they are worried,” she said.

“Anyone who is struggling or needs guidance is urged to contact BHS’s horse care and welfare helpline or their regional business support manager for confidential and practical advice”.

Philip Judge of Philip Judge International, which supplies hay and bedding nationwide and across Europe, told H&H he is having to travel further into the Continent for hay.

“We are all hoping for an early spring, but at the moment, we are having one of the wettest periods we’ve had through the winter and the tempo in terms of demand is definitely stepping up,” he said, adding that he is also seeing people whose previous stocks are depleting, as well as new customers looking for hay.

“Don’t put pressure on your suppliers by saying that all of a sudden you’re out, or saying on a Friday you want all your hay on the Monday. Real careful planning is paramount, stay loyal to and work with your existing suppliers.”

Mr Judge also encouraged people to be aware of the weight of the hay they are buying, rather than simply going on the number of bales, to ensure they have the amount they think they do.

Bransby Horses in Lincolnshire told H&H the biggest impact it has seen is the increased need for its welfare services.

“The level of thinner horses is high compared to what we would usually see,” said Emma Carter, Bransby Horses’ deputy chief executive. The charity has fixed-price contracts and makes its own hay, but low yields mean that it too has incurred additional costs of around £4,500 for hay this year.

She added the Bransby team is seeing “quite a variation” in terms of the types of horses affected, such as cobs and some Shetlands, in addition to the types of horses known for dropping weight.

Bransby does take in welfare cases, but much of the work it does is supporting owners.

“We’ve been talking to people about alternative feed types that are available, and how to conserve and minimise hay waste,” she said.

“I think this is where local community support really makes a difference as well, thinking what can we all do to help a bit. Whether that could be sharing some storage, helping with transporting [hay] or coordinating to get a group together to get a larger supply from further afield.”

Bristol-based equine rescue charity HorseWorld is estimating a £20,000 increase to its winter feed costs and has launched an appeal to help bridge the gap.

The charity stated that a combination of prolonged heavy rainfall, followed by extended dry spells in 2025, left its 180-acre site with almost no grass. As a result, it fed hay earlier than usual and by early autumn, was feeding more than 500kg of hay a day.

Its own hay production was also affected. In 2024, it harvested 87 large bales – but the same land yielded just 22 in 2025. This, combined with higher hay and haylage prices, has left it counting the cost.

“With more than 100 horses to feed every day, even small increases quickly add up,” said Sarah Hollister, HorseWorld’s head of equine welfare. “As we approach the toughest time of the year, our focus is on making sure there is enough feed in the barns to see every horse comfortably through winter.”

How are you dealing with this winter’s hay challenges? Let us know at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance for your thoughts to appear in a forthcoming issue of the magazine

• To stay up to date with all the breaking equestrian news throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

I don’t have to tell you that keeping horses is an expensive hobby; you already know! From farriery and veterinary needs to physio and feed, the bills are frequent and many-figured – and we all want to save money on these costs. On the subject of feed, 2025’s low hay yield squeezed many owners’ fodder budgets, but is it possible to save money on horse feed? “Yes”, is the short answer, but you should ensure you save with care and without compromising on quality.

Keen to discover more? We asked equine nutrition experts and industry specialists for their top tips on how to save money on horse feed. Find out how it’s possible below.

How to spend less on horse feed

As Jade Bensted, customer experience and advocacy manager at NAF, says, smart feeding is about meeting needs, not filling buckets.

“When every ingredient has a purpose, every scoop truly counts,” she says.

With this in mind, here are five ways to help you save money on feed…

1. Feed by weight, not by scoop

Scoops are convenient, but rarely accurate.

“Feeds vary widely in density,” continues Jade. “So, a scoop can weigh far more or less than expected.

“Over time, small overfeeds soon add up in both condition and cost.”

Jade says that weighing feeds not only ensures consistency and avoids wasted nutrition, but it can also highlight when a horse is being fed below recommended levels of a compound feed.

“In these cases, supplements play a valuable role, helping to fill nutritional gaps. As supplements are designed to deliver precise levels of key nutrients, feeding the correct amount ensures your horse gets the intended benefits and keeps the ration balanced.”

She adds that feed should be kept in sealed containers and out of direct sunlight so your horse can keep feeling the full nutritional benefits.

2. Feed your forage effectively

According to Vanessa Allen, nutritional content manager at Spillers, around 30% of forage can end up on the muck heap.

“If your horse is one to trash his bedding, haynets and slow feeders can help stop your forage mixing in,” she says.

She also recommends weighing out forage before feeding – you can do this easily with a luggage weigher (like this one on Amazon).

“It may seem like an extra chore, but it could really help you reduce waste and be more consistent with how much your horse really needs. This is especially true of good-doers.”

3. Keep the feed size manageable

Remember to keep the weight of your horse’s meals under the equivalent of 0.5kg per 100kg of bodyweight, which would equate to 2.5kg for a 500kg horse. You’ll need to weigh your horse first.

“Overfeeding results in your horse not being able to digest everything that is in the bucket, leading to an expensive muck heap, or worse, digestive upset,” says Baileys senior nutritionist, Emma Short.

Additionally, consider the amount of chaff or chop that is added to your horse’s compound feed. “A small amount is ideal for encouraging efficient chewing, but if your horse is a good fibre eater and gets ad lib forage, they may not need the extra fibre provided by additional chaff,” continues Emma.

“Conversely, poor fibre eaters may benefit from additional alternative fibre sources such as a chaff or a partial or full hay replacer fed alongside their forage as ‘haynets in buckets’. This encourages natural foraging behaviour and an overall increase in fibre intake.

“A healthy fibre intake not only supplies calories but also ensures healthy gut function and improved digestive efficiency so that the horse can make the most of the rest of the diet.”

4. Streamline your feed bucket

Vanessa says that now is an ideal time to re-evaluate your horse’s bucket ration and seek advice.

“We often come across owners who add a bit of this and a splash of that to their horse’s bucket,” she comments. “All these added extras can add up to a very expensive meal.

“Nutrition specialists like ours can help you simplify your horse’s ration to ensure you make savings while still achieving a balanced diet. You might achieve this with all-in-one feed balancers, for example, or by feeding a chaff that includes vitamins and minerals alongside a smaller hard feed ration.

“You’ll still meet your horse’s needs, just in a more budget-friendly way.”

5. Don’t compromise on excellence in nutrition

Dr Marga Mas-Fiol MRCVS, D&H’s head of veterinary equine health and performance, advises that working out your feed bag’s cost per day will help you track your bill accurately.

She says it can be tempting to consider feeding cheaper alternatives in order to spend less on horse feed.

“However, it is important to remember that these feeds may not fulfil your horse’s nutritional requirements,” she continues. “This can result in you needing to feed more, or needing to spend more on additional supplements to compensate.

She adds that understanding your horse’s nutritional needs against the ingredients in the feed will help you to make more informed choices.

“Most feed brands have free nutritional helplines with experts at the end of the phone to help you come to the right decision for your horse.

“In addition to ensuring that your horse is being fed on quality ingredients, it is also worth looking deeper than just the price of your bag. Feed tends to come in sizes anywhere between 15–25kg with the smaller sizes appearing to offer better value for money.

“However, this isn’t always the case. With the higher-cost feeds, you often feed less and deliver the same, if not better, nutritional benefits.”

• For unlimited access to advice on how best to care for your horse, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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In broad terms, how much hay to feed a horse depends on the horse you’re feeding it to. A small pony doesn’t need the same ration as a 17hh warmblood, nor does a retired cob need the weight of hay that a top-level eventer would.

While we can all agree forage rations vary horse to horse, how can you as an owner best calculate an appropriate amount of hay to feed? We spoke to an expert nutritionist to get to the bottom of it – and it might not be as complicated as you imagine.

Can you feed a horse too much hay?

As many horse owners know, feeding hay ad lib is best, as it allows the horse’s gut to be in constant motion, just as nature intended.

However, overfeeding forage can occur in good-doers or horses who hoover up their hay ration quickly, prompting you to feed more.

“The challenge with ad lib is that many horses will overeat, and become overweight as a result – even on normal quality meadow hay,” warns independent equine nutritionist Clare MacLeod.

“If you find yourself in a position where feeding hay ad lib is impossible, you’ll need to work out how to limit the amount.”

How much hay to feed a horse: making sense of dry matter

Clare says the textbook way to calculate how much hay to feed a horse is to provide an appropriate percentage of his bodyweight (here’s how to weigh your horse) in hay on a dry matter basis.

“Horses will eat anything from about 1.8–5% of their body weight daily,” says Clare. “A typical textbook would tell you horses need 2% of their bodyweight in forage per day, 2.5% if they’re hardworking.”

However, this method isn’t without its complications.

“First of all, you need be aware that these textbook values are based on the hay’s dry weight. That is, the weight of hay leftover if all the moisture was removed.

“That means owners need to calculate how much hay to feed to ensure their horses are receiving the correct dry weight of hay,” says Clare. “The typical dry matter value for hay is 88% – the other 12% is moisture. Therefore, you’d need to feed 1.136kg of hay in order to provide 1kg in dry matter.”

To calculate this, divide the hay weight in kilos by the moisture content as a percentage. For example, if you needed to feed 15kg of dry weight of hay per day and wanted to know how much to feed a horse to achieve this, you’d divide 15 by 0.88, giving you 17.05kg to feed in total.

The easiest way to weigh hay is in a net with a portable luggage scale (like this one on Amazon).

“To add another layer of complexity, it’s almost impossible to predict how much grass a horse eats while they’re turned out,” continues Clare. “This means huge challenges for your calculations if your horse has access to grass some or all of the time.”

Focus on time eating over weight fed

Rather than grapple with complex calculations if ad lib feeding is impossible, Clare advises focusing on how long a horse eats for, rather than precisely how much he eats.

“When your horse is off grass, try to feed forage in such a way that he never has to fast for more than four hours,” says Clare.

The challenge with an overweight horse becomes finding a way to slow them down.

“Forage amount-wise, I’d be reluctant to drop below 1.8% of bodyweight,” says Clare. “Any less, and you risk extending that fasting window beyond four hours.

“Have another look at the type of forage you’re feeding to see if you can make changes there before reducing the amount by any more.”

Clare adds that it could be helpful to “downgrade the forage” to a less energy-rich crop, such as late-cut, stalky hay that is a more mature and less nutritious plant.

“You can also long-soak your hay and feed straw alongside it as ways as ways to reduce the calories of the forage portion of the diet, as well as focusing on limiting the intake amount and rate.”

“Otherwise, you can make it harder for your horse to get through his ration quickly with small-holed haynets and slow feeders, or using a hay replacer, such as forage bricks, to substitute part of the ration with and help slow them down.”

How much hay to feed a poor-doer

In general, poor doers can eat ad lib hay, and their forage ration is a prime opportunity to load more nutrition in.

“Make sure to feed an early-cut, leafy crop, or ask your supplier about their highest energy hay product,” says Clare.

“Alongside feeding ad-lib hay, you can also add an appropriate concentrate to their bucket feed, add another daily bucket feed. In addition, you could top up their balanced bucket ration with a calorie-rich foodstuff, such as linseed, or an oil-rich supplement if further weight could be gained.”

• For unlimited access to advice on how best to care for your horse, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Is it safe to feed straw? Everything you need to know, with expert advice from an equine nutritionist

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horses get through bale upon bale of hay through winter, but can horses eat straw? The short answer is yes. Not only is straw safe for horses to eat, but there are also benefits to including this type of forage in your horse’s ration, too.

“As long as it’s introduced and fed correctly, straw can be really invaluable,” remarks independent equine nutritionist Clare MacLeod MSc RNutr. “Lots of owners feed it nowadays alongside their horse’s hay ration. It’s a great choice if you want to increase the time your horse spends eating without adding excessive calories.”

Rules of feeding straw to horses

There are a few golden rules for feeding straw. Firstly, as with any feed or forage, straw must be introduced into a horse’s diet gradually.

“If you have a grass-kept horse that comes in to a straw bed for the night and munches away for hours, problems may arise,” says Clare. “This is where the old-fashioned idea that eating straw causes impaction colic came from.

“While such a dramatic change from a grass diet to a large quantity of dry straw does represent a colic risk, research from Europe shows straw is perfectly safe to feed when done correctly and introduced slowly.”

Secondly, it’s essential to ensure your horse is drinking plenty of water.

“Ensure your horse has free access to clean fresh palatable water,” says Clare. “In winter, some horses drink too little if the water is very cold, but when you feed straw you need to be sure they are drinking plenty. Don’t make assumptions that just because a trough or tub is full, that it’s enough.”

Thirdly, take care to balance the diet correctly.

“Straw is lower in protein and minerals than hay, as well as providing less energy,” Clare explains. If you’re unsure how to correctly balance your horse’s diet, speak to a nutritionist for advice.

Finally, consider your horse’s teeth.

“Veterans or those with poor dentition might struggle to chew straw, so a softer hay may be more suitable,” she adds.

If you’re looking for other ways to make your horse’s hay ration last longer, small-holed haynets and slow feeders are a good idea.

What straw can horses eat?

For Clare, the type of straw you feed isn’t the most crucial part of the story.

“Oat, wheat or barley straw is all fine to feed,” she comments. “What matters is that we feed hygienic straw.”

What does this mean?

“Hygienic straw is bright yellow,” explains Clare. “It shouldn’t be grey, brownish or dark in hue or clump together, because that could indicate the presence of mould.

“We also want to ensure the straw is low in dust and doesn’t have any musty smell.”

Clare adds that ideally, the straw should not have been sprayed with any chemical.

“Some farmers spray the straw to dry it out, or use pesticides and herbicides on their crops,” remarks Clare. “Ask whoever you plan to source straw from if this is the case.”

With hay prices ballooning this year, many owners are looking for ways to reduce their hay bill. While feeding straw alongside hay can help, Clare urges owners to prioritise sourcing quality forage.

“When the supply is stretched, people can sometimes panic and buy anything they can,” says Clare. “But do go and check out any forage before you buy it.

“Or, if you can’t go in person, consider buying a small amount first to check the quality before placing a bigger order.”

Can you feed soaked straw?

If your dust-sensitive horse has soaked hay, then yes, you can feed soaked straw – but don’t soak it for long.

“About an hour is sufficient,” says Clare. “This is because straw can have a slightly higher bacterial load than hay.”

How much straw can I safely feed my horse?

You can safely replace up to 30% of your horse’s forage ration with straw, provided it is done gradually.

“Some people will say they can feed more, but nutritionists will advise 30% because that’s a safe, general guideline for every healthy horse or pony who is not prone to colic.”

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8 tips to help ease the transition to winter with horses

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You might be considering different types of forage for horses due to the current shortage of hay. Being aware of the benefits and shortfalls of different forages and knowing about the best forage replacers will help you make an informed decision when it comes to selecting the right products for your horse.

Forage is a really important part of the diet as it contains fibre, which is needed for energy. It also plays an important role as a filler, helping to prevent gastric ulcers and aid digestion. We’ve covered all the types of forage – and explained some of the benefits and problems associated with feeding each.

Types of forage for horses

1. Hay

Hay is the most commonly fed type of forage for horses. harvested either from permanent pasture meadow grasses or specially sown seed leys. Once cut, it’s left to air-dry in the field. It tends to be harvested between the end of May and end of July.

Benefits of feeding hay

• Various types of hay available
• Long stems encourage chewing, which stimulates saliva, helping to control stomach acid
• Can buy in various sizes
• Can be soaked

Problems associated with hay

• Can be dusty
• Shortage this year has affected availability and driven up prices
• Can’t know specific nutrient quantities unless professionally analysed

2. Haylage

Haylage is conserved cut grass, baled with a higher water content than hay, and then wrapped. Haylage tends to be cut earlier in the season compared to hay (generally before mid-June).

Benefits of feeding haylage

• Tends to be higher in overall energy if it’s cut earlier
• Less dusty
• Can buy in bulk or smaller bags

Problems associated with haylage

• Due to the higher water content, more haylage needs to be fed than hay (by weight) as the nutrient and fibre levels will effectively have been ‘diluted’
• Not usually so good for good-doers
• Starts to go off once wrapping is opened
• Can’t know specific nutrient quantities unless professionally analysed (or purchased in bags with nutritional info)

3. Straw

More commonly used as a cheap bedding option, straw can also be fed to horses. Oat and barley straw are most common, though oat straw has a slightly softer texture and is less prickly for the horse to eat compared to barley straw.

Benefits of feeding straw

• Cheaper and readily available
• Can be used as a partial replacement (up to a maximum of 30% of the daily fibre intake) for good-doers or overweight horses

Problems associated with straw

• Always make sure that you are providing a clean, fresh supply of drinking water alongside and monitor droppings to reduce the risk of impaction colic

4. Chopped dried grass

Chopped dried grass is harvested earlier than hay and dried artificially.

Benefits of chopped dried grass

• Often higher in protein and energy, making it a good option for poor-doers and veterans

Problems associated with chopped dried grass

• These types of chaffs retain much of the natural sugar content of fresh grass, but without the water content to ‘dilute’ it, so it’s usually best to avoid these for horses prone to laminitis or requiring a low sugar diet
• Not suitable for use as a complete hay replacement

5. Sugar beet

Sugar beet is the fibrous byproduct of the sugar beet root left after the sugar has been extracted for human consumption.

Benefits of sugar beet

• Palatable way to add fibre
• Quick-to-soak options
• Molasses free options

Problems associated with sugar beet

• Can’t be used as a complete replacement
• Dangerous if fed unsoaked

6. Short-chopped fibres

These may contain chopped straw, grass and alfalfa, or a combination of the three. They sometimes come as complete feed including vitamins and minerals to ensure a balanced diet, in which case they may be an economical alternative to a traditional hard feed of mix or nuts. Short chopped fibres can either partially or totally replace forage ration.

7. Soakable products

Soakable high fibre products or mashes are often high-fibre and low in sugar and starch, so can be used as a partial replacement and are ideal for horses with dental problems.

8. High-fibre pellets

Pellets are a versatile and palatable way of adding fibre as a complete compound feed, partial replacer or treats in a stable toy. Some contain added vitamins and minerals so should be fed in accordance with manufacturer recommendations.

You might also be interested in:

21 full and partial hay replacers to help add more fibre to the diet

11 small-holed haynets and slow feeders to extend eating time and reduce wastage

Is it safe to feed straw? Everything you need to know, with expert advice from an equine nutritionist

8 ways to reduce your hay bill this winter

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Are you looking for a hay replacer as an alternative or additional forage option for your horse due to the hay shortage or poor grass quality? While hay and haylage is commonly fed alongside grazing to ensure your horse receives sufficient fibre throughout the year, you may need to feed different types of forage to ensure your horse’s needs are being met. They are ideal for boosting fibre intake and offering variety, especially during the winter months when access to grazing is limited.

The choice and availability of hay replacers for horses has grown significantly over the last few years with advancing technology. Not all feeds can be used as hay replacers for horses – they must be high fibre and low starch, as well as being nutritionally comparable to forage to be suitable. I’ve spoken to feed companies and they have recommended products from their range that would be suitable forage replacers.

Best hay replacers for horses

Here is a selection of the best hay replacers for horses that are currently available, including the manufacturers’ descriptions of their products.

NB: Feeding rates have been recommended based on a 500kg horse – these feeding rates per day are a guide only.

Jump to:

• Full hay replacers
• Partial hay replacers
• Forage blocks

Full hay replacers for horses

Spillers Speedy-Mash Fibre

Size: 20kg

RRP: £15.85

Soaking time in cold water: 1 minute

Feeding rate: 11.5kg (dry weight) divided into a minimum of four feeds as a full forage replacer

• Sugar: 2.5%
• Starch: 7.5%

Simple System HayCare

• Sugar: <7%
• Starch: <3%

Dengie Meadow Lite with Herbs

• Sugar: 3%
• Starch: 0.5%

TopSpec FibrePlus Cubes

• Sugar: 3%
• Starch: 9%

British Horse Feeds Fibre-Beet

• Sugar: 5%
• Starch: 3%

Rowen Barbary ReadyFibre Mash

• Sugar: 2.50%
• Starch: 5%

Baileys Natural Meadow Cobs

• Sugar: 7.8%
• Starch: 2.2%

Thunderbrook Hay Flakes

• Sugar: 9.7%
• Starch: 0.8%

Partial hay replacers for horses

Allen & Page Fast Fibre

Size: 20kg

SRP: From £13.74

Soaking time in cold water: 1 minute

Feeding rate: maximum daily amount 6.5kg. Split into multiple feeds not exceeding 2kg each meal

• Sugar: 2.5%
• Starch: 5.0%

A low calorie/energy feed, ideal for good-doers or those prone to laminitis, Fast Fibre is high in fibre and low in starch and sugar. It is particularly useful for horses with dental problems and can be fed as a partial hay replacer.

It contains unmolassed sugarbeet so it must be soaked before feeding and that only takes one minute, so you can be sure that your horse’s feed is always fresh.

Pure Feed Meadow Mash

Size: 15kg

SRP: £18

Soaking time in cold water: 5 minutes

Feeding rate: Up to 1kg per 100kg bodyweight per day

• Sugar: 2.5%
• Starch: 8.5%

A quick-soak, high-fibre hay replacer that’s ready in just five minutes. Free from molasses and wholegrain cereals, it’s gentle on digestion. Perfect for older horses, fussy feeders or those needing extra hydration, this soft, easy-to-chew mash mimics the goodness of hay while supporting gut function.

Spillers Happy Hoof Molasses Free

Size: 20kg

SRP: £18.15

Feeding rate: 3kg per day divided into at least two feeds for a 500kg horse

• Sugar: 1.25%
• Starch: 1.5%

This product is the same as the original Happy Hoof, providing all the same nutrients, but without the molasses coating, which lowers the sugar content from 4% to just 1.25%. It contains garlic, biotin and a full range of added vitamins and minerals to provide a balanced diet and can be used as a total hay replacer.

Mollichaff DailyFibre

Size: 12.5kg

SRP: £10.50

Feeding rate: Up to 3kg per day

• Sugar: 5.2%
• Starch: 3.7%

A high fibre, low sugar and starch chaff ideal for those in light to medium work. Mollichaff DailyFibre provides controlled slow-release energy and supports healthy digestion, joint and nerve function, and a shiny coat. Free from molasses, alfalfa, cereal grains, and preservatives, this chaff can be used as part of a bucket feed or as a partial forage replacer.

Dengie Meadow Grass with Herbs & Oil

Size: 15kg

SRP: £18.19

Feeding rate: Up to 1kg per 100kg bodyweight

• Sugar: 12%
• Starch: 2%

A natural blend of chopped and pelleted British-grown meadow grasses (fescue, rye and timothy( with a rapeseed oil coating and a blend of tasty herbs (liquorice roots, fennel, mint, chamomile and aniseed).

Rich in highly digestible fibre, naturally sweet, soft and easy to chew the high level of oil promotes condition and coat shine. Free from molasses and preservatives.

TopSpec TopChop Lite

Size: 15kg

RRP: £14.99

Feeding rate: 1kg can replace up to 2kg of hay

• Sugar: 2%
• Starch: 1%

A natural product made from chopped British alfalfa and oat straw; with real mint, and a very light dressing of linseed oil. TopChop Lite contains no added molasses or any other sugar coating. It is of similar nutritional value to average quality hay but contains significantly less sugar.

Suitable for all horses, including those prone to laminitis, and good-doers, it can be used as a partial or complete hay replacer if needed.

Saracen Super Fibre Cubes

Size: 15kg

SRP: £15.49

Feeding rate: 2–3.5kg per day

• Sugar: 4.5%
• Starch: 10.5%

Easily digestible, high fibre cubes, which are suitable to be fed in a variety of situations. They are cereal free and provide a source of readily digestible fibre. They are ideal for supplementing the forage ration of horses when forage is in short supply or of poor quality. They are also suitable to be fed to those that are sensitive to dust and moulds to help maintain optimum respiratory health.

Can be soaked to produce a mash that can be easily chewed for horses and ponies with compromised dental health or even to tempt the fussy feeder or to help maintain optimum hydration in performance horses.

British Horse Feeds Speedi-Beet

Size: 20kg

SRP: £20

Soaking time: 10 minutes

Feeding rate: 1kg dry weight to replace 1.5kg of hay

• Sugar: 5%
• Starch: trace

Speedi-Beet is unmolassed sugar beet pulp cooked to produce flakes that need a fraction of the soaking time of traditional sugar beet shreds or pellets. It is high in fibre – particularly soluble fibre, which is readily digested and yields slow release energy – as well as being low in sugar and containing no starch.

Baileys Light Chaff

Size: 18kg

SRP: Around £17.50

Feeding rate: Weight for weight for the amount of forage (hay) being replaced

• Sugar: 2.25%
• Starch: 2.5%

Baileys Light Chaff is a blend of high-temperature dried alfalfa and oat straw with a sprinkling of mint and a very light dressing of soya oil, which encourages a shiny coat. It is high fibre and low calorie, as well as having a low starch and sugar content, so is ideal for good-doers, those prone to laminitis and those on a calorie-controlled diet.

Simple System Organic Lucie Stalks

Size: 12.5kg

SRP: £18.85

Feeding rate: Feed according to requirements and condition to a maximum of 1% of ideal bodyweight per day

• Sugar: <5%
• Starch: <3%

An ideal feed for extending eating time, this lucerne chop offers superior high fibre and quality protein, yet is very low in calories. To prolong the hay ration, mix into hay nets or feeders, or dampen in larger buckets in the stable alongside their hay or haylage.

Forage blocks for horses

These are a great way to keep your horse occupied for longer and support their digestive health. They can be used to encourage natural foraging, to slow down food intake or even a smaller alternative to hay when travelling.

Useful as a hay alternative. Made from nothing but timothy grass, they are suitable for all horse types so long as they have good dentition for chewing. Each individual forage block replaces the approximate equivalent of 1kg of hay.

High fibre, low sugar 1kg fibre block, full of tasty herbs and nutritious vitamins and minerals. Can be soaked with warm water to soften to make suitable for horses with poor dentition.

These forage blocks can be fed dry or soaked in water to create a delicious mash. These yummy blocks have been compressed for easy feeding, storage and handling.

Benefits of feeding a hay replacer

• Increase fibre in the diet
• Lots of forms, so something for all horses
• You can ensure that your horse is receiving a set level of nutrients
• Quality doesn’t alter with the seasons
• Soaked options are great for horses with poor dentition
• Soaked options help maintain hydration.

Is it safe to feed a forage replacer in large amounts?

While it’s recommended to keep bucket feeds small, it is safe to feed forage replacers for horses in large amounts as you would hay or haylage in a haynet. As with any change in feeding regime, it is important to gradually introduce a forage replacer and slowly increase the amount used.

Once a hay replacer has been introduced, divide the daily ration up as much as you can to ensure your horse is trickle feeding. These meals can be split between two or three large buckets and left with the horse to graze on either in the field or stable

Can I feed an older horse a hay replacer?

Yes, some hay replacers can totally replace hay in the diet. Soaked hay replacers or mashes come in a pellet form and need to be soaked before feeding. They will be easier to chew than short chop fibres for horses with poor dentation.

When to weigh a hay replacer that needs soaking

You need to measure and weigh out all soakable feeds before you add water to soak them.

You might also be interested in:

Know your forage: which type is right for your horse?

Importance of feeding fibre for healthy horses all-year round

20 feeds suitable for horses prone to gastric ulcers

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Feeding a horse with gastric ulcers in the right way is key for their health and comfort. Gastric ulcers can affect any horse or pony of any breed or any age because the horse’s stomach constantly secretes acid. Horses need to chew regularly to produce enough salvia to help neutralise this acid – and without frequent intakes of forage, the acidity increases and they are at a greater risk of developing ulcers.

“Approximately 90% of racehorses and up to 60% of competition horses are thought to have gastric ulcers. Although diet is just one risk factor, appropriate nutritional management helps to reduce the risk and severity of gastric ulcers,” says Sarah Nelson, Spillers nutritionist. Recent studies have also shown that 37% of leisure horses are also affected, so this is a problem for all horse owners.

What to feed a horse with gastric ulcers

A horse with gastric ulcers should receive a high-fibre, high-forage diet that contains little or no whole cereal grains. Their total daily forage intake should be a minimum of 1.5% of their bodyweight. On average for a 500kg horse without access to grazing this equates to approximately 9kg of hay (unsoaked weight) or 10-12kg of haylage.

Some feeds suitable for horses with gastric ulcers have the BETA EGUS Approval Mark, so this is a simple way to identify some safe options.

A horse’s diet should contain less than 1g of non-structural carbohydrate (starch and sugars) per kilogram bodyweight per meal and ideally less than 2g of starch per kilogram bodyweight per day. For a 500kg horse this is equivalent to less than 500g of NSC per meal and ideally less than 1kg of NSC per day.

“Starch, such as found in concentrated cereal feeds, is strongly associated with an increased risk of gastric ulcers. Therefore, stick to the high-fibre diet, supplemented to balance the micronutrients. If additional energy is required then this is best fed through a high-oil diet, which is shown to be beneficial for the ulcer-prone — and don’t forget to balance with vitamin E,” says Kate Hore, head nutritionist at NAF.

For those horses and ponies who only eat forage, feeding oil or one of the best feed balancers can be a valuable addition to their diet.

“Balancers provide a concentrated source of vitamins, minerals and quality protein, but due to the low feeding rate, a negligible level of energy, starch and sugar,” says Sarah.

Saliva provides a natural buffer to a horse’s stomach acid and horses only produce saliva when they chew so maximising forage intake is key.

“The sooner we all feed our horses more naturally, the sooner we can make many equine health issues, including ulcers, a thing of the past. That means not only feeding the high forage diet, but also maximising turnout as much as possible, to encourage good gut motility, as the horse’s digestive system evolved to work to its best when grazing and gently moving around,” concludes Kate.

When to feed a horse with gastric ulcers

“Horses are designed to eat little and often and therefore should receive ad lib forage; research has proven that there is a risk factor for the development of ulcers if there is absence of forage in a horse’s diet for over six hours,” explains Katie Williams, technical and product development manager at Dengie.

“While this can be difficult to avoid overnight, try putting multiple haynets around your horse’s stable or if someone goes to the yard later in the evening than you, ask them to give your horse a haynet so the horse has the shortest possible time without forage.”

You can also use small-holed haynets and slow feeders to extend your horse’s eating time, which will help reduce the time he’s without if he tends to finish his ration.

Adding short chopped fibre, ideally containing alfalfa, to every meal can be hugely beneficial as the high protein and calcium content in alfalfa is thought to help buffer stomach acid.

“It is also advisable to feed a handful of chaff or forage or give a horse a haynet 20-25 mins prior to exercising to help line the horse’s stomach and stop the acid from splashing around while the horse moves,” adds Katie.

Feeding to prevent gastric ulcers

As the diet is the main contributing factor to gastric ulcers, feeding your horse as naturally as possible will go along way to helping prevent them.

Different types of forage should form the majority of your horse’s diet to provide enough fibre to buffer the stomach acid. If you need to feed for additional energy or condition, choose concentrates that are high in fibre and low in starch. There are also gastric supplements that are formulated to help balance the stomach’s pH.

If you give your horse a bucket feed with more than just a forage replacer, split these into smaller meals where possible and ensure plenty of forage is fed in between.

Twenty-four hour turnout is ideal, but not possible for many, but keeping your horse turned out for as long as you can will support their digestive health. If your horse is injured or on heavily restricted turnout due to weather, you will also need to consider how best to feed your horse while on box rest.

Providing forage in stressful situations – for example, travelling – will also help buffer any additional acid. Feeding chaff before exercise may also help to trap acid and limit ulceration.

If you’re unsure on how to proceed or are navigating multiple issues, speak to a nutritionist for advice – most feed companies have free helplines.

You might also be interested in:

20 feeds suitable for horses prone to gastric ulcers

How to feed a horse on box rest to maintain health and aid recovery

Gastric ulcers in horses: the important facts every owner needs to know

Balance the stomach pH – a guide to gastric supplements on the market

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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Need to slow your horse down and save hay? Here are some great options for a range of needs

The best slow feeders for horses can help with the constant struggle of providing continuous access to forage, while simultaneously slowing eating and prolonging grazing time. I know this struggle first hand as my pony is an incredibly good-doer and has had laminitis in the past, but has no ‘off switch’ when it comes to eating. I’d love to be able to provide him with ad lib hay, but he wouldn’t stop until it was gone. And if I leave him hay in the field, it lasts him no time at all and he ends up waiting for hours without anything to graze on. If you’re feeding a horse on box rest, you may have a similar struggle in your efforts to prevent gastric ulcers.

To manage the situation, I have tried almost all of the options below before finally settling on my current setup, which is a wooden crate-style hay box with a small-holed net tied in – I have the Trickle Net Original, Elico Little Piggy nets, Equilibrium Portion Pacer and KM Elite Elim-A-Net Haynet on rotation. But something different will work for every horse, their personality and your setup – so I’ve included a wide range of options in this guide to ensure there’s a solution for everyone.

Best slow feeders for horses (including small-holed haynets)

What is a slow forage feeder?

Slow feeders are available in a range of designs, from small-holed nets to hay boxes, and they all work in the same way. The smaller the area or holes are to get to the hay, the slower your horse will be able to eat, which lengthens time the hay will be available to him. You might be familiar with slow feeders for dogs and these have a similar concept.

Benefits of using a slow forage feeder

• Replicate natural grazing pattern – feeders that encourage horses to get their heads down will help keep their airways clearer and are closer to their natural feeding habits
• Extend eating time – by doing this, slow feeders help to to mitigate the risks of over-feeding, obesity, cribbing, colic and ulcers
• Help keep horses occupied – this is particularly useful if your horse is on box rest or has restricted grazing
• Minimises wastage – this saves us money and is going to be particularly important this year with the reported poor hay yield
• Reduces mess – this ties into wastage but it should help protect your fields, too
• Protects the nutrient levels of hay from decreasing due to weather conditions

You might also like:

Best grazing muzzle options to help reduce your horse’s daily intake

How long should you be soaking hay for horses? An expert explains

Expert advice for feeding a horse to avoid gastric ulcers

12 supplements formulated for horses on restricted grazing

How to feed a horse on box rest to maintain health and aid recovery

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Undesirable equine behaviour associated with a lack of forage has been discussed – as concerns are raised about owners misinterpreting learned helplessness for “coping”.

“Promoting positive equine wellbeing and behaviour through diet” was the topic of a World Horse Welfare webinar last month, during which experts discussed horses’ basic needs – friends, forage and freedom, and the importance of horses’ having enough access to enough forage.

Rosa Verwijs, senior lecturer in equine behaviour at Writtle University College, highlighted that horses usually spend around 16 to 20 hours per day grazing, if they have the choice to do so, and emphasised the satisfaction horses gain from foraging. She also discussed the challenges around equine obesity and restricting diets, but encouraged owners to look for different ways to provide horses with enrichment – for example, feeding hay in a variety of different slow feeders, instead of one very small-holed haynet, to help prevent frustration.

Rosa talked about different unwanted behaviours that can be caused by a lack of forage, such as stress, anxiety, aggression and resource-guarding – and how these might be displayed, such as abnormal oral behaviours, door-kicking, difficulty in handling and poor performance under saddle.

“Horses will do whatever they can to help them cope with the frustration and stress they’re feeling, and these coping behaviours can manifest in so many different ways,” she said, adding that depression can be seen in horses, and research in this area shows that as horses’ frustration increases, it can lead to learned helplessness.

“I think that’s where a lot of people mistake their horse as ‘coping’. People might say, ‘My horse was ridiculous for three weeks and then after that he was fine.’ That misinterpretation of shut-down horses is probably one of the most concerning for me as a behaviourist. These horses are not suddenly coping and saying ‘I’m fine,’ it’s them saying, ‘I’m just going to wait it out and hope life gets better.’

Justine Harrison, a certified horse behaviour consultant, said lack of forage is the cause or a contributing factor in “most” of the behavioural cases she has dealt with.

“It’s a huge problem. I’ve seen a massive range of behavioural problems in horses and ponies of all disciplines, from grand prix sport horses to a children’s pony,” she said.

British Equine Veterinary Association veterinary projects officer Lucy Grieve, who hosted the webinar, said owners need to keep evolving their management systems.

“Forget the idea of meals and the human way of feeding ourselves, horses are completely different. As humans we enjoy making feeds and buying different foods, but your horse’s needs are very different to what satisfies us as humans,” she said.

Lucy added that this is difficult when it comes to livery yards, where owners might not have as much of a say about forage and feeding routines.

“Education is key to try to get that message to those responsible for managing yards, and we can do that as a team and work together. If we keep singing from the same hymn sheet, we can only make our horses’ lives better in terms of diet, nutrition and day-to-day behaviour.”

You might also be interested in:

Being a pain, or in pain? We need to listen to our horses

Know your forage: which type is right for your horse?

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The modern horse still has its ancestors’ gut design – that of a fibre-digesting herbivore. This means that two-thirds of the digestive tract is devoted to fibre digestion through fermentation, while just one-fifth is able to process protein, oil and starch from cereals.

For horses in light work, feeding regimes typically match digestive design, as most of the diet is forage. However, for horses in medium to hard work, low-energy forage may not provide sufficient energy. In this situation additional feedstuff is required to counter the shortfall in energy, ensuring the horse can maintain condition and have sufficient stamina to do the work required.

Traditionally, cereals were fed to horses to provide energy, but this typically includes high levels of starch, which the horse’s digestive system is not designed to cope with. If the cereals are not fully digested before they pass into the hindgut, this can lead to problems including colic, excitable behaviour and changes in temperament. As a result there has been an increasing trend towards feeding fibre and oil as energy sources to horses that need more than a basic forage diet.

Fibre as an energy source

Fibre can provide the horse with energy, as well playing an important role as a filler, to help prevent gastric ulcration and aid digestion. Made up of a complex of carbohydrates and compounds, it is broken down by bacterial fermentation in the hindgut.

Fibre is made up of lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose. Lignin is indigestible, and feedstuff with high lignin levels, such as straw and mature seed hay, have a low energy content. Cellulose and hemicellulose are digested by bacteria in the hindgut. The higher the levels of cellulose and hemicellulose, the more energy the forage or fibre-based feeds have to offer. If you are unsure what level of energy your forage is providing then it may help to have it analysed by a professional.

While all horses should receive ad-lib forage as the basis of their diet, good quality fibre is particularly useful for:

• Horses requiring stamina – another facet of fibre digestion is that the energy is slow release, capable of sustaining work for a long period, making it ideal for hunters and endurance horses
• Horses with loose droppings – check to see they are getting sufficient long fibre in the diet
• Those prone to laminitis, colic and tying up – these problems can all be related to disruptions in fibre supply through the gut
• Whenever grass quantity drops – particularly relevant during hot summer and winter. As soon as grass growth slows, a horse eats less fibre each day.

For gut health and general welfare, horses (other than those on a weight-loss programme) should ideally be fed forage ad lib, and at least 15gDM/kg bodyweight (i.e. 1.5% of bodyweight). This would mean giving a minimum of 7.5kg forage DM for a 500kg horse per day. This equates to 8.5kg of a 90% DM hay, or 11kg of a 70% DM haylage. Even those horses in very high intensity work should be fed forage amounting to at least 12.5g DM/kg bodyweight (i.e. 1.25% of bodyweight).

You might also be interested in:

Expert advice for feeding a horse to avoid gastric ulcers

How to keep your horse’s digestive system healthy this winter, plus expert feed recommendations

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The correct nutritional support will help your horse perform at his best, yet an unbalanced diet could lead to a below-par performance and even a clinical problem.

The foundation of any horse’s diet (other than that of suckling foals) should be forage, such as fresh pasture, hay or haylage, of an appropriate nutritional and hygienic quality and in sufficient amounts. This is the starting point for getting the energy balance right.

Many horses don’t require any other energy-providing feed, just an appropriate balancer. Standard-bred trotters, for example, have been successfully raced on high nutritional-quality forage plus a balancer. Many performance horses are given energy-providing feeds in addition to, or as a substitute for part of this important forage element. Unless carefully managed, this can increase the risk of certain health problems.

Doing the maths

Different forage types contain different amounts of moisture. Silage is more than 50% water, whereas haylage is between 15% and 50% and hay between 5% and 15%. It’s therefore important to provide forage according to the dry matter (DM) content rather than on an “as fed” basis — especially when feeding haylage.

As an example, 13kg (as fed) of a 70% DM haylage is equivalent to 10kg (as fed) of a 90% DM hay. Both will provide your horse with 9kg of forage DM.

For gut health and general welfare, horses (other than those on a weight-loss programme) should ideally be fed forage ad lib, and at least 15gDM/kg bodyweight (i.e. 1.5% of bodyweight). This would mean giving a minimum of 7.5kg forage DM for a 500kg horse per day. This equates to 8.5kg of a 90% DM hay, or 11kg of a 70% DM haylage.

Even those horses in very high intensity work should be fed forage amounting to at least 12.5g DM/kg bodyweight (i.e. 1.25% of bodyweight).

Quality counts

Many hays and haylages, fed alone, do not provide sufficient vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Nor do they routinely supply good-quality amino acids and protein to meet optimal requirements, especially grass-based forages and particularly if soaked before feeding. An appropriate balancer is therefore needed.

Forage analysis is helpful to estimate energy content. As grass matures, typically fibre increases and energy content decreases. This means that horses with very high energy requirements will usually benefit from less mature forage.

Horses prone to conditions such as polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM) or laminitis should be fed low-sugar, low-starch forage — ideally less than 12% on a DM basis. Soaking helps reduce sugar content, but by a variable amount. Ideally, start with forage with a known low content, or analyse post-soaking.

Very mature, highly lignified hays and long straw should provide, as a maximum, only a small percentage of the long fibre ration, and must be introduced gradually to help lower the risk of certain types of colic.

The hygienic quality of forage is key, especially for gut and respiratory health. Overtly dusty and mouldy hay, which obviously should not be fed, can be identified simply by looking at it, feeling it and smelling it, but there may not be obvious signs that hay is of poor hygienic quality. If you are concerned, get it analysed and consider practices such as steaming (although this will not resolve all hygiene issues). Be vigilant for contamination by way of toxic plants or foreign bodies, and store all feed and forage appropriately.

Consider, too, your horse’s feeding schedule. Long periods of time spent without forage will increase the risk of certain types of gastric ulcer and behavioural issues, so ideally feed forage ad lib. If intake needs to be restricted, divide the overall amount into several meals per day and try to extend the time the horse

spends foraging.

Changing forage or feed can also help trigger certain types of colic. Small changes should be made gradually, over three to five days, while any major changes may require a two- to three-week adaptation period.

Energy boost

Some performance horses require more energy than ad-lib forage can provide. In these cases, fibre-based options include feeding less mature forage, which provides more energy, and/or adding highly digestible fibre sources. These could be in the form of soaked, unmolassed sugar beet, or a commercially prepared, nutritionally balanced feed with a high-fibre content and low or restricted levels of starch.

• Non-rancid vegetable oil or fat has high energy density and lacks starch content, but it must be fed consistently for several months for the horse to gain any possible additional metabolic benefits.

Introduce oil or fat to the diet gradually, over several days or weeks, depending on the volume being added. Up to 1ml of oil or fat per kg of bodyweight can be fed per day, but obtain nutritional advice if you plan to exceed these levels. Check the balance of vitamins (especially vitamin E) and minerals in the resulting diet, or choose a balanced high-oil, high-fibre feed as an alternative.

• Starch in cereal grains can provide energy, but exceeding the limited tolerance for starch ingestion can lead to problems.

Cereals contain different amounts of starch — oats contain around 40% as fed, barley around 50% and maize around 60% — and are not nutritionally balanced. Some sources of starch are less digestible in the small intestine, although heat processing can improve digestibility. Grains, other than oats, in compound or complementary feeds should always be cooked (flaked or micronised, for example).

• Several studies recommend a safe upper limit for starch and sugar intake: around 2g per kg of bodyweight per day, from the non-forage feed portion, with a maximum of 1g per kg of bodyweight per meal. Any more poses a potential greater health risk.

Where necessary, increase the number of meals, offering no more than 0.4kg of feed per 100kg of bodyweight at a time. This amounts to less than 2kg per meal for a 500kg horse.

Potential risks

Fermentation of excess sugar and starch by the stomach microorganisms leads to a more reduced pH and increased production of volatile fatty acids.

In combination, these can damage certain parts of the stomach wall and make gastric ulcers more likely. Sugar and starch not digested and absorbed in the small intestine will enter the hindgut, resulting in an altered environment, which is sub-optimal for fibre-digesting bacteria. Changes in the microfloral population, plus a decrease in pH, increases the risk of diarrhoea, colic and laminitis.

Energy in the mix

Coarse mixes are typically based on grains, sources of fibre, fat or oil as well as protein — plus some vitamins and minerals. Sugar and starch levels depend on which ingredients are being used and at what level.

These products can provide as much energy as pure barley, but with restricted (less than 25%) or low starch (e.g. less than 10%, if they’re based primarily on highly digestible fibre sources, plus oil with almost no grain). If you cannot find levels on the feed bag label or company website, ask the manufacturer.

Too much sugar and starch?

A 500kg performance horse is fed 2kg of flaked barley and 2kg of a complementary feed (25% starch and 10% sugar), plus 8.5kg (as fed) of mature hay per day. The feed is divided into two meals.

• Barley: 2,000g x 0.5 (50% starch) = 1,000g starch

• Feed mix: 2,000g x 0.25 (25% starch) = 500g starch

• 2,000g x 0.1 (10% sugar) = 200g sugar

Total: 1,700g

When divided by the weight of the horse, this gives 3.4g of sugar and starch per kg of bodyweight per day. This is significantly more than the recommended daily intake (and, at 1.7g/kg bodyweight per meal, is more than the recommended per meal intake). These levels raise the likelihood of various health problems.

Forage can also contain high amounts of sugar, often more than 15% DM. It’s an important factor to take into account if the horse has certain metabolic problems or a predisposition to laminitis.

Ref Horse & Hound; 1 September 2016

Kathy Carter looks at how forage analysis works and the equine health benefits it can offer

The scientific analysis of the nutritional and mineral profiles of forage is a useful tool for balancing equine diets, and avoiding the mineral deficiencies that can arise when feeding commercial supplements along with untested hay.

In simple terms, the process aims to ascertain levels of dietary dry matter, digestible

energy, protein, minerals and sugars.

Sally Tobin of forage analysis provider The Healthy Horse Company says her clients predominantly want to assess locally produced hay, to avoid physical or behavioural equine issues that could occur as a result of suboptimal nutrition.

Nicola Tyler explains the process TopSpec follows: “A 500g sample, sourced ideally from multiple bales, is placed in a polythene bag and sent to the service provider for analysis in an accredited laboratory.

“A report is supplied to the client, after which we can offer telephone support, feedstuff recommendation and nutrition plans.”

Nutritional deficiencies

Sally Tobin says those who keep their horses without shoes are particularly pro-active in the area of forage analysis.

“Issues caused by nutritional deficiencies, like weaknesses in the hoof’s structural integrity, white-line separation or just ‘footiness’, become apparent more quickly in an unshod hoof,” she says.

Barefoot trimmer Lucy Priory, of Barefoot South, has studied the work of equine nutrition expert Dr Eleanor Kellon VMD. She agrees that hooves are a strong indicator of health.

“Diet is often a co-factor in some lameness presentations. My clients are shown how to look for clues to a suboptimal diet, such as dry hoof wall, weak horn growth, stretched white line, multiple horizontal lines across the hoof and persistent thrush.”

Farrier Martin John Deacon agrees that diet may be a potential cause of hoof problems, with poor horn structure, suboptimal hoof quality and slow growth being the most common signs.

“With most horses, their general body condition is indicative of whether they’re responding to dietary nutrition,” he says.

“If a horse had poor-quality horn or persistent cracks, and I had eliminated predisposing mechanical, environment and management factors, I would suggest looking into its diet, with the owner potentially utilising forage analysis and supplementation”.

Is it for everyone?

Many horses could benefit from forage analysis, however, lots of owners are unaware of the service. Some would rather trust the nutrient analysis carried out by the manufacturer before the feed or haylage reaches them, reading the breakdown of protein, mineral, sugar and starch published.

TopSpec’s Nicola Tyler says that while this approach can work well in certain situations, horses with conditions such as laminitis, PPID (Cushing’s), insulin resistance, equine metabolic syndrome or azoturia may benefit from the information that forage analysis provides.

Saracen’s nutritionist Lizzie Drury adds that while limitations to analysis include continuity of forage supply and financial constraints, the service can be beneficial.

“I would always recommend analysis if I was carrying out a ration review for a horse with a particular issue, such as failure to maintain body condition, loss of performance, or a condition such as respiratory disease. Here, you need to know what the horse is getting,” she says.

This article was first published in Horse & Hound magazine (15 January 2015)

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Hay steamer company, HAYGAIN, has launched a new website.

HAYGAIN’s steamers work to improve the quality of forage whilst maintaining nutritional value and goodness.

The new website explains the process and the science behind the development, as well as supplying product specifications and the latest news.

A spokesman said: “HAYGAIN steamers are scientifically proven to kill mould spores and bacteria in hay and haylage to produce a warm palatable forage, helping maintain a healthy respiratory system.

“Soaking hay boosts bacteria growth by 1.5 times in just 10 minutes. Steaming kills 99% of bacteria in 50 minutes.”

The company, that has been up and running for three years, has three models on offer that all steam forage in less than 50 minutes.

For more information go to www.haygain.com or call 0333 200 5233.

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More articles on feeding forage

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Q: Our hay supply ran out over Christmas and, in desperation, after seeing the current price per bale, we purchased some poor-quality round bales from a local farmer.

Can I steam the hay to save wasting it, or will this not help improve the quality?

JV, Essex

Sometimes hay may appear to be of bad quality, but this does not necessarily reflect its mould and fungal spore content. But it may affect its nutritional content.

“Good” hay smells fresh and is usually of a pleasant, light green colour without being weedy, or too beige (potentially heat damaged) or brown (too moist). More mature hay tends to have less nutritional content and can be more fibrous.

However, despite being of poorer quality, coarse, stalky hay doesn’t always contain excess mould spores and can actually be useful for good doers and overweight horses.

“They can be given more of this type of hay without consuming too many calories,” said Katie Williams, Dengie Horse Feeds’ senior nutritionist.

If your hay smells musty, it could have a high mould content due to baling or storage when wet. The fungus aspergillus is one of the three main fungi found in stables and is thought to be one of the main causes of equine respiratory problems.

Veterinary research laboratory the Irish Equine Centre also cites the fungus as being a

major cause of poor performance in racehorses, due to its proliferation in hay.

Steam can reduce mould

Using a hay steamer could certainly reduce the mould content within hay.

Professor Buckley, head of microbiology at the Irish Equine Centre, trialled the Happy Horse Steamer and found it to be effective at reducing mould counts, in particular aspergillus, due to the fungus’s sensitivity to heat.

You may also want to consider feeding a dietary supplement to your horse if its diet is nutritionally deficient, although the only way to truly assess whether your hay is of good or bad quality is to have it analysed.

Dengie offers a forage analysis service and its charges vary.

Tests available include those for macro-nutrient content (to measure protein, fibre and starch, for example), micro-nutrient content (eg minerals) and mould mycotoxin.

Alternatively, ask at your local agricultural supplier whether they carry out this service, or discuss the issue with the farmer who sold you the hay.

Information

Dengie www.dengie.com

Happy Horse Products www.happyhorseproducts.co.uk

This article was first published in Horse & Hound (18 February, ’10)

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More articles on forage

Find a feed merchant

Q: In early spring this year my mare died as a result of eating locally bought hay containing ragwort — laboratory tests confirmed the presence of the poisonous plant.

Aren’t commercial haymakers subject to quality control standards for hay they sell to the public?

DB, Oxfordshire

This sad case illustrates the importance of farmers putting quality control standards into place — although in dried form and within a bale of hay, ragwort is very difficult to detect.

Equine lawyer Sarah Jordan of Daltons Solicitors has already seen legal cases this year involving the commercial supply of bad batches of hay.

“Hay sales in the course of a business fall within sale of goods legislation,” she explained.

“Accordingly, the hay must be of satisfactory quality and fit for the purpose intended. Hay teaming with ragwort breaches both requirements and therefore a consumer could claim for damages against the producer or supplier.

“In a case like yours, potential damages include the value of the horse that died, as well as any veterinary treatment relating to the ragwort poisoning,” Sarah advised.

“For those of us who do not have the option of making our own hay and knowing its history, it is important to question suppliers about their haymaking process.

“Ask to see up-to-date records of field-spraying each season, take references from other customers of the supplier and, if in doubt, don’t buy.”

Information

Daltons Solicitors, tel: 01730 262816 www.equinelawyer.co.uk

This article was first published in Horse & Hound (24 December, ’09)

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Q: I recently read that “wastewater from haynets is now classified as effluent by the water authorities and should not be discharged down drains”. Is this correct?

I soak my horses’ hay every day through the winter — how am I supposed to dispose of the wastewater?

CM, Derbys

This is a very complex issue, with some areas of confusion.

What are the issues?

As wastewater from soaked hay contains nitrates, some experts propose it is actually a contaminant.

However, wastewater from haynets only comes under Defra’s nitrates regulations if disposed of on a massive, industrial scale.

A Defra spokesman added that wastewater from haynets does not require permission for it to be discharged into the public sewer.

“Disposal of wastewater from haynets is unlikely to cause a problem, whether discharged to either a foul or surface water sewer, and so for this to lead to action from the water companies would be uncommon,” the spokesman stated.

Proceed with caution

The Environment Agency (EA) referred us to Water UK, the company which represents all

the UK’s water and wastewater service suppliers, at both national and European level.

According to Water UK, wastewater from haynets is not classified as trade effluent by water and sewage companies, “however, Water UK would not expect facilities that generate wastewater from washing hay to discharge into water company sewers”.

Cliff Cogger of Happy Horse Products said: “In our opinion, waste hay water should not be discharged in to any surface run-off, such as road drains, ditches and soakaways, as it contains nitrates and other contaminants. Nitrates should not be allowed to be discharged into any waterway, or water contained in any underground strata.”

Information

Defra www.defra.gov.uk

Water UK www.water.org.uk

Happy Horse Products, tel: 0845 370 3113 www.happyhorseproducts.com

This Q&A was first published in Horse & Hound (20 November, ’08)

Feed merchants are shipping in hay from as far afield as Canada and Switzerland to keep up with demand for top-quality forage this year.

Wet weather early in the haymaking season means there is not as much of the highest-quality hay for sale as is usual at this time of year.

But recent dry spells mean there is enough moderate hay available.

John Barber of feed merchant Longhay in Letchworth, Hertfordshire, said: “We’re offering Canadian and Swiss hay this season to top up the best-quality hay that was harvested in June. Usually the UK is an exporter of hay and we don’t import from overseas but this year we’re having to find hay where we can. The only problem with Canadian hay is that it’s very expensive — £250 a tonne, where the best British is £200.”

Prices for moderate British hay have rocketed to around £3 per bale this year, around 50p more a bale than last year, and the best quality can cost as much as £6 a bale. Last year, it was £3.

Guy Gagen of the National Farmers’ Union said straw volumes have also been affected by the weather and it is important for horse owners to prepare now for the winter.

“We had two severe deluges coming after drought in April and this has severely affected all crops, including grass,” he said.

“Farmers say they will try to look after their existing customers, but won’t have any put aside for other buyers.

“It’s important for people to get in touch with their suppliers to ensure they have enough straw and hay for the winter.”

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound (13 September, ’07)

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Myth: “Don’t feed new hay before Christmas”

Truth: Throw this one in the rubbish bin

Registered nutritionist Teresa Hollands says: “This myth originated because people thought new hay was high in sugar and it might destabilise the digestive system. But as long as the hay has been dried properly, it is a stable product, and there is no need to worry.

“That said, as with any new feed, it should be introduced gradually, overlapping it with the old supply over seven to 10 days. If a horse has come straight off grass, it is even more important to introduce hay gradually.”

Ruth Bishop, another registered nutritionist, adds: “Old hay will obviously have different nutritional values to new hay, which typically has higher sugar and soluble protein contents. New hay can be up to 10% sugar, while old hay will typically contain about 2% sugar.

“This should not generally present a problem when new hay is fed in the autumn, provided it is introduced gradually. If introduced rapidly, however, new hay might cause digestive upset in susceptible horses.”

This formed part of a feature in Horse & Hound’s feeding special (13 October, ’05)

The Hay Bar from Park Feeders Limited is a simple solution to a long-standing feeding problem. Most horse owners realise that feeding hay or haylage on the floor is the most natural way for their horses to eat. However, this is not terribly practical as it creates unnecessary wastage.

The Hay Bar is a curved feeder, made from high density Polyethylene with a reinforced top edge. It is designed to be located in the corner of the stable and prevents the loose hay or haylage from mixing with the bedding. The feeder has no sharp edges for the horse to injury itself on and can be fixed in place with basic DIY knowledge.

The Hay Bar is simple for owners of all ages to use and removes the problems associated with tying up heavy haynets, as well as eliminating concerns about animals get their legs caught in empty nets over night. It can be positioned either flush with the floor, or with a small gap below to allow wet hay to drain and make cleaning easier.

Dentists widely welcome feeding forage from the floor as it helps encourage correct jaw alignment and the natural wear of the horse’s teeth. Vets also support feeding hay from the ground as it encourages natural draining of fluid from the horse’s airway.

The Hay Bar also encourages the horse to maintain good natural posture, stretching the muscles across its back and upper neck while eating, and discouraging the unwelcome development of the lower neck muscles.

The feeder is suitable for use by equines of around 14hh upwards, although a smaller Hay Bar for ponies will be available early next year.

The Hay Bar is available in black and costs under £50 plus carriage. For more details contact (tel: 01723 882434) or visit: www.haybar.co.uk

As hay becomes harder to find and increasingly expensive, each winter brings more “haylage virgins” – first time users of this similar, but definitely different, forage.

Haylage is not a complete feed. It’s halfway between fully air-dried hay and wet big-bale wrapped silage – and it’s easier to make than hay because it doesn’t need the (rare) three or four days of blazing sunshine to dry the grass.

Its biggest advantage over hay is that haylage is generally “dust free”. Any spores are swollen by the presence of moisture, and “stuck” to the grass stalks, so they are eaten rather than breathed in.

This means that you don’t have to soak haylage, but equally you mustn’t let it dry out or buy an overly dry supply, or the moulds will again be free for inhalation.

Well-made haylage is sweet and very palatable. Horses can gobble up their allowance, and then stand around bored. Recent research showed horses fed haylage were four times more likely to develop a stereotypical behaviour than those with access to hay or grass.

Haylage has been around for at least 25 years. Early versions were very rich and so horses became fat or unruly – this gave rise to the myths that haylage should be limited, or that it causes tying up.

These are not wholly true. Swapping weight-for-weight hay for haylage could cause such a drop in fibre intake that the horse might colic or tie up, but well managed feeding of the right quality haylage should not cause these issues. And the haylage analysed over the past couple of years ahs tended to be lower in energy and protein.

Making the switch

• Once it is open, use a bale of haylage within four days or the moulds you have sought to prevent will start to grow again.
• Haylage contains at least 25% more water than hay, so you cannot make the change on a weight-for-weight basis without causing problems. Feed about 1¼ times as much haylage as hay.
• Quality is everything. Always ask for an analysis of the batch you are buying. All large bales should be covered with at least eight layers of plastic.
• Check for holes, bird or rodent damage in the packaging. These will start mould growth before you want to feed the haylage and will ruin the product.
• Avoid gritty or soil-contaminated bales: these carry the risk of disease such as botulism or listeriosis.
• Complement haylage with a short-chop fibre to extend eating times in stabled horses. In working horses, cubes and mixes high in fibre balance the potentially reduced fibre supply from the haylage.

This article first appeared in H&H

A carefully managed hay crop can benefit the pasture enormously, as well as saving you lots of money. It also allows you to rest easy in the knowledge that you are feeding your animals a product of known origin.

However, it does require hard work, machinery, sufficient acreage (at least two acres of pasture per horse, preferably more), a lot of manpower and careful organisation. Only by planning ahead now will you obtain a hay crop to be proud of in 2005, as certain pasture management jobs must be undertaken to help prepare your fields for harvest, such as clearing ditches in September, harrowing fields in October and rotating pasture in November.

Crucial questions

Before setting aside pasture for hay, be sure to ask yourself the following questions:

• Is the field free from poaching?
• Is the sward suitable for hay? (A grassland analysis test will establish suitability of the plants growing. Autumn is a good time to re-seed with a mixture of grasses if necessary).
• Have I carried out good ragwort and general weed control this year?
• Do I have access to the required equipment – that is, a hay turner, baler, trailer, tractor and mower?If the answers are yes, you are well on the road to making hay while the sun shines next summer.Taking expert advice
  Two years ago, the Countryside Agency, Surrey County Council and several other supporters introduced the Horse Pasture Management Project, Britain’s first council-supported and -funded resource, based in Surrey.Project officer Nicky West regularly advises local horse-owners about the virtues of good pasture management, and has the following advice for anyone considering harvesting their own hay:
• Late summer, autumn and winter: Hay fields may be grazed during this time of year, preceding the harvest, but try to prevent poaching, as these areas will be vulnerable to the encroachment of weeds. Be aware that feeding hay at grass can have the effect of changing the sward composition, due to falling seeds and bare patches that form where hay is placed.
• Early spring: Pasture will need to be rested by next spring to allow sufficient grass growth.

June to July: Hay cuts are usually made from mid-June to early July. Flexibility is needed regarding the cutting date, as this will depend on the stage of grass growth and weather conditions.

The leaf is the most nutritious part of the grass, providing energy and protein. To obtain the optimum feed value, it is best to cut for hay as the principal species begin to flower – after this stage, grass ages, goes to seed and becomes stalky. Energy and protein levels drop as the fibre content increases, while cutting during flowering will encourage re-growth.

Preparing your field for hay

• Undertake grassland analysis and only reseed if required. If docks, thistles or similar invasive weeds are removed or there are bare patches, over-seeding is advisable. However, over-seeding an entire pasture or ploughing and reseeding with more ‘desirable’ species may result in the loss of wildlife habitat.
• If there is no option but to plough and reseed, the period before hay can be cut will depend largely on when the grass is sown, and the species introduced. Autumn sowing with perennial ryegrasses may allow sufficient growth for hay to be cut the following year. Land sown in spring with a mixture of grasses will not be ready for haymaking until the following year.
• Soil test early next year for nutrient and pH levels to identify fertiliser needs. Most agricultural suppliers, colleges or independent labs offer this service.
• Ensure there is access for tractors and implements.
• If land is designated of high conservation interest, check with English Nature before undertaking work. DEFRA advisors should be contacted regarding Stewardship land (land of significant environmental importance formerly used for arable purposes).

Maximise your meadows

Mature meadows represent some of the country’s most important areas for biodiversity, and haymaking can be of great benefit to the pasture. According to David Proudley, technical information manager at the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG), old meadows and pastures, particularly those with a large variety of plant species, may also be suitable for funding as a part of agri-environment schemes.

All home countries – England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – have their own versions of such schemes, which come under the banner of DEFRA’s England Rural Development Programme (ERDP).

“In England, the Entry Level Environmental Stewardship Scheme (ELS), is to be launched in January 2005,” says David. “It will offer an opportunity to receive payment for undertaking environmentally beneficial practices.

“Applicants will be required to reach a certain points total by choosing from a list of options designed to improve conservation and the environment on their land.” The final details of the scheme have yet to be confirmed, but when they are, FWAG will be able to offer help and advice. Contact your local FWAG group, or visit: www.fwag.org.uk

Contacts:

British Horse Society – tel: 08701 202 244, visit: www.bhs.org.uk

Central Laboratories – for information on grassland analysis and to obtain a sample bag, tel: (01295) 222 700, email: nwebber@central-labs.co.uk

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) – tel: 08459 335 577, visit: font class=section>www.defra.gov.uk

English Nature, (Government agency funded by DEFRA) – tel: (01733) 455 000, visit: www.english-nature.org.uk

Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) – tel: (02476) 696 699, visit: www.fwag.org.uk

Surrey Horse Pasture Management Project – tel: (01372) 741 783, visit: www.surreycc.gov.uk/horsepastureproject

The Countryside Agency – tel: (020) 7340 2900, visit: www.countryside.gov.uk

The Environment Agency – tel: 08708 506 506, visit: www.environment-agency.gov.uk

The energy content of a feedstuff is often viewed in terms of its capacity to excite a horse or put weight on, but these effects are more to do with the source of energy and each horse’s metabolism than the energy content.

Every feed contains energy. You can’t see it and there isn’t the equivalent of a feed voltmeter to measure it directly, but it’s there. The energy content is calculated from its chemical characteristics, so that the fibre in food confers some energy, as do the starch, sugar and oil parts and also some of the protein.

Depending on the content of each of these, nutritionists are then able to ascribe energy values to feedstuffs, usually in units of megajoules of digestible energy (DE) per kilo (MJ/kg).

Many horses receive most of their energy from fibre. Only horses which aren’t turned out or are in such hard work that they receive little hay or haylage will receive their energy from starch, oil and protein.

Fibre is a complex structure made up of many different kinds of digestible lignin that the horse cannot break down using its own digestive enzymes and which requires processing by microbial fermentation in the hind gut.

As the fibre takes time to break down, the energy sources are received steadily by the horse and this is why fibre feeds have a reputation of not exciting horses.

Starch and sugar are almost the opposite of fibre. They are more rapidly broken down in the small intestine and the products of this process, simple sugars, are rapidly absorbed. So, in comparison to fibre, they are “fast energy”, sometimes too fast for excitable types.

All working horses need some starch and sugar in their diets. Some, but not too much, starch is required to keep muscle glycogen stores maintained and at brain level, glucose is the only food this hub of the central nervous system recognises.

Oil is also digested and rapidly absorbed in the small intestine, but its use as a muscle fuel is slower than starch or sugar and this is why it has a reputation for being a good alternative energy source.

The horse wouldn’t use protein as a fuel of choice, but if it’s in excess levels in the diet, it can be broken down and used as energy. This happens when horses receive ad lib spring grass or large quantities of high-protein feeds. This conversion of protein into energy is metabolically expensive and is why people on Hollywood-style high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets lose weight.

In addition, one of the breakdown products, urea, is excreted in the urine, and in poorly ventilated stables can lead to smells and respiratory problems.

• This article first appeared in H&H (11 April 2002)

The principle of good and bad bacteria has invaded our daily lives with the advent of health drinks such as Yakult. However, in both human and horse, methods of dietary support for “good bugs” vary considerably, and can be confusing.

The horse has principally evolved to digest fibre, and it has adapted to do this by playing host to trillions of micro-organisms within the gut. Most live in the hindgut, although they are also found in the small intestine.

The concept of friendly and unfriendly (pathogenic) bacteria comes from the idea that, as in any population, not everyone is on the same side. Good bacteria act to provide the optimum gut environment and to digest feed. Pathogens cause disease. The ill effects of that arch pathogen, salmonella, are widely known.

In reality, good and bad bacteria co-exist in the digestive tract all the time, and problems only occur when conditions allow pathogens to proliferate.

The digestive system is the first and most active line of defence against disease, usually caused by such pathogens taking hold. In a healthy animal, it is thought this is due to competitive exclusion, whereby the number of good bugs outnumbers the bad, preventing them from gaining hold.

A healthy horse fed a diet high in fibre will have a healthy digestive system and microbial balance. However, given the numbers of micro-organisms, it follows that anything that upsets digestion could alter this balance.

Stress caused by travelling, the demands of competition and frequent change may contribute to problems. Equally, internal stress due to overflow of undigested carbohydrate into the hindgut can dramatically disrupt the balance, which is particularly relevant for animals at risk of laminitis or those prone to tying-up.

Creating healthy insides

Fibre: Maximise fibre in the diet, particularly for competition horses and those at risk of diet-related conditions such as laminitis or tying-up. There are other ways to add fibre if grass or hay need to be limited.

Live yeasts: Used in feeds and supplements and thought to work primarily in the hindgut. Of all the micro-organisms on the market, only one, a yeast, has the necessary body of scientific evidence to prove it works in the horse and gain approval for use in feedstuffs by European legislators.

Probiotics: Mixed preparations of bacteria designed to boost “good bug” populations and crowd out disease-causing bacteria. They work principally in the small intestine.

Prebiotics: Not micro-organisms, these work to increase numbers of friendly bacteria. MOS (mannan oligosaccharides) bind to and remove “bad” bacteria. FOS (fructo-oligosaccharides) provide food for good bacteria in the small and large intestines.

This article was first published in Horse & Hound (8 April 04).

Whatever you feed your horse this winter, you are likely to be giving far more forage than concentrate feed. But forage quality is variable in its nutritional value, as well as its dust levels, and is dependent on the growing season and the conditions at baling.

A prolonged dry period followed by a wet May led to abundent high-quality first cuts. Hay that I recently analysed was not only dust-free, but also mould-free — an unheard of combination most years.

But not all hay will be this clean as its quality is determined by its storage conditions after baling, as well as by the weather at cutting.

When storing newly-baled hay, small spaces should be left to allow air to move around the bales. Without these spaces heating can occur, encouraging mould to grow. Such bales can be easily recognised as matted and musty.

The hot weather has also meant a much shorter time between cutting and baling. On a nutritional basis this means that the sugar content will be raised. If this hay is introduced suddenly, horses are likely to scour and it may have an adverse effect on the animal’s behaviour.

This year’s haylage crop seems to be drier than in previous years, with the normal 60% dry matter being closer to 70%. While this means that you’re paying for less water, a dry bale is difficult to compress and make fully airtight. This means there is room for microbial activity, which can result in the mould you are trying to avoid by using haylage so watch out for this.

Assessing quality

• Analyse both first and second crops of hay as the nutritional value will differ
• For haylage, get a nutrient analysis done or request a copy of the manufacturers’ analysis. The quality will effect the nature of the hard feed you are using. A low-fibre, high energy haylage is best matched with a high-fibre, low energy feed
• For hay and haylage, analyse crude protein and fibre. A water-soluble carbohydrates test will indicate the sugar content. In addition, haylage should be tested for moisture and preservation quality, plus pH, ash, and ammonia
• Forage for performance horses should be tested for calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and sodium. For growing horses, test for copper, zinc, maganese and selenium

This article was published in the 2 October issue of Horse & Hound. Don’t miss this week’s Feed Forum (13 November), which discusses how the dry summer may lead to a shortage of hay this winter.

Q: I have decided to change from hay to haylage. As I have never fed it before and I am a little worried about stories I have heard about botulism in haylage production. Can you put my mind at rest?

Independent nutritionist Christine Smy replies: Botulism is caused by the clostridium botulinum toxin, an anaerobic bacteria that is found mainly in soil. Modern production methods have made botulism rare in UK-produced haylage.

When haylage was first introduced to horses, it was very wet. Over the years, the market for haylage for horses has increased dramatically and, with this rise in popularity, many farmers now produce haylage specifically for horses, with a dry matter of 50-75 per cent.

Botulism thrives in warm, humid conditions, possibly living in decaying plants or animals, and can be a major problem if incorporated within the haylage. It is important that soil and foreign materials are not picked up when the cut grass is baled.

Always buy haylage from a reputable manufacturer or farmer. Word of mouth is important – before you buy, speak to other buyers about quality and palatability.

Having bought your haylage, check the wrapping on each bale. There should be several layers of strong plastic to prevent the entry of oxygen, which can cause secondary fermentation. You must discard and return any bales with holes or tears.

Once opened, haylage has a lifespan of about four days in winter and three days in summer. Many farmers and manufacturers make bales of around 20kg, ideal for owners of one or two horses. This avoids wasting the haylage, and removes the temptation to feed the haylage once it has started to ferment.

Q: My nine-year-old 16.2hh part-Hanoverian is turned out for four hours a day during early spring along with five other geldings. Unfortunately, the paddock offers very little grazing during these months. I believe there are dried grass products available with similar feed values to grass, which can supplement a horse’s winter diet and add a bit of variety when grazing is scarce. Could you suggest products for me to try?

A: Manufacturers say that their quick-dried grass products are palatable, nutritious and as good as fresh grass. Within hours of being harvested from the field, the grass is flash-dried at high temperatures to remove the moisture content and extract dust.

Generally, you can feed these products as a partial hay replacer, as a chaff to slow down eating or on their own as a treat. Speak to the individual companies for advice on how to incorporate their product successfully into your individual horse’s diet.

It is not advisable to feed large quantities to horses or ponies prone to laminitis.

• ReadiGrass from Spillers. Feed a double handful of ReadiGrass as a high-quality chaff or use it as a partial hay replacer (at 50 per cent of the normal hay ration). The company’s technical advisor, Clare Lockyer, says owners could also feed 1kg or 2kg when they bring a horse in from the field, as a bit of a boost.“It takes longer to eat than hay and has high levels of protein and fibre, so it is good for keeping weight on,” says Clare. Priced £8.60 for 18kg, tel: (01908) 226 626 for stockists.
• Just Grass from Balanced’ Horse Feeds. This grass is dried at a high temperature so that it has the value of spring grass. Feed as a chaff replacer, or simply as a treat. The price for the product had not been finalised at the time of going to press, but expect to pay around £7.50 for a 20kg bale. For stockists, tel: (01372) 721 700.

Graze-On from Northern Crop Driers. New on the market, Graze-On is flash dried grass with a feed value said to be virtually identical to fresh grass. It is dust-extracted, with no additives, and can be fed as a partial hay replacer, as a chaff replacer to extend feeding time or on its own as a treat. Priced around £7 for a 15kg bale, tel: (01759) 318 302

Q: This winter, I have decided to change from hay to haylage. I have never fed it before and I am a little worried about stories I have heard about botulism in haylage production. Can you put my mind at rest?

Nutritionist Christin Smy replies: Botulism is caused by the clostridium botulinum toxin, an anaerobic bacteriathat is found mainly in soil. Modern production methods have made botulism rare in UK-produced haylage.

When haylage was first introduced to horses, it was very wet. Over the years, the market for haylage for horses has increased dramatically and, with this rise in popularity, many farmers now produce haylage specifically for horses, with a dry matter of 50-75 per cent.

Botulism thrives in warm, humid conditions, possibly living in decaying plants or animals, and can be a major problem if incorporated within the haylage. It is important that soil and foreign materials are not picked up when the cut grass is baled.Always buy haylage from a reputable manufacturer or farmer. Word of mouth is important – before you buy,speak to other buyers about quality and palatability.

Having bought your haylage, check the wrapping on each bale. There should be several layers of strong plastic to prevent the entry of oxygen, which can cause secondary fermentation. You must discard and return any bales with holes or tears.

Once opened, haylage has a lifespan of about four days in winter and three days in summer. Many farmers and manufacturers make bales of around 20kg, ideal for owners of one or two horses. This avoids wasting the haylage, and removes the temptation to feed the haylage once it has started to ferment.

Q: I can’t decide whether I should feed my horse hay or haylage this winter.Could you explain the benefits and downsides of each product?

Independent nutritionist Christine Smy replies: Feeding hay or haylage is a personal choice and will depend on budget, local availability and storage space.

Whichever you choose, it should be made from safe and non-toxic grass species. Whether you opt for hay or haylage, try and find out when the grass was cut. Grass should ideally be cut before mid-July, after which its nutritional value begins to decline.

Hay

Pros

• Hay cut in late May and June has high feed values and is ideal for performance horses.
• Late-cut meadow hay (harvested from late July into August) is ideal for good doers, due to indigestible stalks. The downside is that the horse may get a hay belly.Cons
• Good hay-making weather cannot be guaranteed. Hay needs a hot, dry spell of about four days in order to ‘make’ properly.
• Feeding dusty and mouldy hay can lead to respiratory problems. Soaking hay for 20 minutes will wash out or swell any mould spores, reducing coughing.
• Incorrect drying can result in the grass leaf shattering and the nutritional goodness being lost. Two-thirds of energy and three-quarters of protein are present in the leaf.HaylagePros
• Production is less weather-dependent.
• Its high moisture content allows mould to swell and stick to the stalk, which prevents vents horses with respiratory problems.
• The smaller haylage bales are easy to store and transport.Cons
• Proprietary brands have their analysis on the bag – something which is often missing on local brands. The higher the moisture content, the lower the fibre, energy and protein levels, so if you know the haylage analysis, you can determine the correct levels to feed. For example, a haylage containing 50 per cent water needs to be fed at a higher quantity than one containing35 per cent water. Most feed companies will analyse haylage for a fee of around £20, or you can contact Direct Laboratories (formerly ADAS), tel: (01902) 693 190.
• Problems occur when haylage becomes dry from being left on the ground too long before baling, or where a bale remains opened for too long a period. The spores will shrink and then be inhaled rather than ingested, causing potential lung problems.

It is mid-June, and the grass is still growing fast, particularly since what sunshine we have is matched equally by rain.

And there is nothing that encourages grass to grow more than sunshine and moisture.

A friend’s event horse, although ostensibly eating the same food, has put on weight during the past month, become wicked to ride and takes ages to work in.

The last thing she suspected was the grass, because even in May the paddock still looked bare and poached in places.

But the horse’s diet had changed, the grass had started to grow in earnest and he was eating the new growth as fast as it appeared.

My friend had not realised that, while she had been mowing her lawn since mid April, her horse was doing the equivalent in the field.

Grass is, in many ways our cheapest feed, but we mistrust it because it’s so variable. Its growth is about five times faster in May and June than in September and energy and protein levels are at their greatest at this time.

Well-managed grass can support about three horses an acre, while, in September, this reduces to less than one horse an acre.

As regards other nutrients, UK pastures are generally rich in calcium and phosphorus. The exception is pasture on thin, acid soil with poor-quality grasses, such as in upland or moorland areas.

Vitamins are also generally well supplied, but in certain areas, such as the Welsh borders and the North-East, soils are known for being low in copper and selenium.

It’s not only grass that you have to manage; weeds are always lurking. Your paddocks are at risk of weed growth if your pasture management is poor – bare soil, caused by poaching or other hoof damage, is likely to be colonised by weeds before the grass gets there.

Pasture factfile

• Spring grass has more energy than your average competition feed – and twice the protein. If a horse stops eating hay and starts eating grass, it can consume about 15% more energy.
• A fat or laminitic pony needs only limited grass. For turn-out pastures for working horses and for mares and foals, aim for a 3in-high dense, leafy sward to provide nutrition as well as protection from concussion should they run about.
• Young stock also need thick mass of leaves to provide both nutrition and a mat to prevent jarring.
• Soil scientists believe that applying traceelements to the soil, such as in calcified seaweed, in an effort to improve their levels in grass is a waste of time. Frankly, if you want to get a trace element into a horse, it’s far more efficient to feed the horse directly, rather than feed the grass to feed the horse. Some people swear by these products for “sweetening” their grass.
• Should the unbelievable happen and we have a drought this summer, supplement horses at grass with vitamins and minerals, as the pasture supply will run out and the horse will not have adequate body stores.

Expert advice on feeding haylage

Haylage is a specialist forage for horses and, as its name suggests, is a cross between hay and silage.

Its biggest advantage over hay is that it is considered “dust free”, compared to hay which is not.

Any spores present in haylage are swollen by the presence of moisture and are “stuck” to the grass stalks, meaning they are eaten rather than inhaled.

This means you don’t have to soak haylage, which saves a lot of time, energy and water for those who previously soaked hay.

Haylage tends to be sweeter than hay and is popular with horses, who can gobble up their night-time allowance quickly and then stand around bored – this is not good for box-walkers, weavers etc, unless you find something else to occupy them.

Haylage nets with a tighter mesh and generally smaller capacity are available; they help to slow down the greedy eaters and deter the groomfrom over-feeding.

Haylage is generally richer than hay, and fat ponies get fatter on haylage than they will on hay – haylage is best for working ponies only, or those with broken wind.

Always buy your haylage from a reputable manufacturer.

Quality is everything, so choose a company with its eye on making quality haylage, and ask it for an analysis of the product. Good companies do this as matter of course.

• Click here to read a product review on haylage

Feeding quality forage, free from dust, mould and contamination, plays a big part in keeping your horse in peak condition. Correct storage is vital to prevent nutrient levels from falling.

Hay and haylage should be stored in a dry, well-ventilated environment. Ideally, keep your hay on pallets to prevent any damp or vermin and store it downwind of your stables to help prevent both spores and fire spreading.

When a new delivery of hay arrives, stack the oldest bales at the front so that they are used up first and dispose at once of any mouldy bales you find to prevent contamination.

Haylage and silage can be stored outside, but, if a bag becomes pierced or broken, use the contents immediately so it does not contaminate the other bales.

Storage do’s and don’ts

• Hay is best stored on pallets at ground level to allow air to circulate and stop damp being absorbed into it
• Store in a cool, dry area, preferably covered on three sides
• Allow ventilation around the stack and do not pile too high, so that air can move aroundthe top and sides
• Do not include damp bales or any that feel hot within the stack, as this could result in spontaneous combustion
• If storing hay on a commercial yard, be aware of Health & Safety requirements that necessitate warning signs not to climb the stack
• If the hay is dusty, consider using a dust mask when stacking
• Check regularly to ensure the stack is not becoming hot
• Keep storage site clean and tidy and clear away any loose hay

Richard Brooks and his father Geoff run Eurobale, a leading supplier of big bale haylage in Europe.

For many years they bred high quality sport horses from their Manor Farm Stud.

How did you get into haylage?

About seven years ago we were tired of not being able to source good quality, clean and consistent hay for our horses, while our income from arable farming was beginning to decline.

As we were in the prime grass growing area of Nottinghamshire, we investigated the large-scale production of horse forage as an option for the farm business. In our first year, we grew 400 tonnes and this year we will harvest nearly 10,000 tonnes.

Why do people buy haylage?

Large yards ofhigh quality horses want dust-free, consistent forage all year round. What¨s more, the product can be stored outside and is more user-friendly than having to soak large amounts of hay ¨ it takes us much less time to feed our own horses now than it did before when we were soaking hay.

Nutritionally, what’s haylage got going for it?

When haylage first came on to the market, it was quite moist and very rich. We’ve tended to go for drier, high-fibre, low-energy variations, akinto moist hard hays. You need the moisture to reduce the dust that causes respiratory allergies.

Users are focused on fibre, energy and mineral content, and we have seen a recent trend back to more traditional grasses such as timothy as the base of the haylages.

When do you make it?

We will harvest from the beginning of June until mid July. The secret is to spread your grass species and planting dates so that the same quality product is harvested throughout the six weeks of harvest. We test the product before it’s cut to check it is at the target nutrient value.

People sometimes forget that, unlike compound horse feeds, haylage is only grown and harvested in the summer and then stored for use in the winter. Therefore weather and ground conditions at haylage-making affect the whole year’s quality.

What about organic haylage?

We tried it, but it was full of weeds and the clods of manure we had put on as fertiliser.

What is haylage’s biggest misconception?

There are two: one, that it could cause botulism – a throwback to the early days of big bale cattle silage; and two, that it will blow your horse’s brains – a legacy of the nutrient-rich varieties on the market over a decade ago.

Haylage is different now – it’s drier and more like hay in nutrient value and so is less likely to blow a horse’s brains out. Botulism only occurs in soaking-wet, soil-contaminated silages. Clostridium botulinum, the organism causing botulism, can’t survive in dry haylage.

Do you hunt off haylage?

Yes, ad lib, but it’s not a complete wonder feed. Our horses do need hard feed too, with the amount of hunting we do. We use it now as we used hay before, but you can only do that if the nutrient delivery is right – you couldn’t do it with a rich haylage, or I’d be a master dumped from his horse!