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

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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.

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

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Sponsored rides, coaching marathons, balls and raffles are the usual methods of charity fundraising — never before has a farmer wrapped his horse haylage in pink to raise funds for breast cancer research.

Last month Bedfordshire farmer Mark Cooper spent three days wrapping 1,000 bales in pink, finally finishing late on 10 June.

Drivers on the A507 can now see a huge stack of the colourful bales in the field bordering the main road.

“Too many of our friends have been affected by breast cancer and we thought it would be a great thing to do,” Mark Cooper told H&H.

The original idea came from a farmer in New Zealand.

“I saw he had wrapped his haylage for cows in pink with the manufacturer giving a donation for each roll sold,” said Mark.

“We decided to take this a step further and make a donation from each bale sold.”

For every pink bale sold, £4 will be given to the charity and the manufacturer Volac has also made a donation.

The pink bales cost £37 instead of the usual £35, with the Coopers matching the customer’s £2 donation.

“It’s been brilliant,” said Mr Cooper, who runs the equine feed and bedding side of the farm with his wife Nicola.

The Coopers hope to raise over £4,000 for Cancer Research UK.

For more details visit www.oldmanorfarm.com or to make a donation go to: www.justgiving.com/oldmanorfarm

Ref: H&H 2 July, 2015

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Nutritional consultant Sally Tobin has launched the Healthy Horse Company to help improve equine diets.

“Horse owners tend to buy hay or haylage without knowing the nutritional or mineral content,” she said.

The company uses accredited labs in the UK and abroad to give a nutritional and mineral profile of hay, haylage and grass.

Samples of 100gms of hay are tested to identify the digestible energy, protein, sugars and range of macro-minerals.

This type of analysis has been used for many years by farmers to help create diets for cattle.

It is now becoming more common in the horse world, believes Tobin, for all types of horses from youngsters to eventers.

The levels of sugars shown are “particularly important for those managing laminitic ponies or horses,” she said.

Owners are advised on any mineral deficiencies in their equine’s forage and how to balance them with additional supplements.

“There’s no point buying supplements until you know what’s in your hay,” maintains Ms Tobin.

The company can provide bespoke feeding plans depending on a horse’s age and work.

Prices for the hay and haylage nutritional analysis start at £25, the bespoke feeding plan is £65.

More information on the Healthy Horse Company

A new type of haylage is now on the market, specifically designed for laminitic prone horses and ponies.

‘Lite’ – a haylage product with a guaranteed protein and sugar content of less than 10 per cent – is the latest addition to the Silvermoor haylage range.

The reduced level of protein and sugar content, and increased fibre make it an ideal forage for laminitics, good doers and horses

at rest.

The company launched in 2005 with their recreation and active haylages.

Silvermoor haylage’s Karen Green told H&H: “From the offset the common concern from customers was that they find haylage too rich for their horse or pony.

“Owners have been conscious that this winter has not been as hard as expected and have appreciated a low protein haylage to help them manage their horse’s weight.”

For more information visit: www.silvermoor.com

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

A new “nutritious and easy to manage” haylage range has been launched this month.

HaySoft is made from rye grass that is heat sealed to retain goodness. It is packaged in three “easy to manage” sections to be broken up and handled more easily.

It is available in two varieties – HaySoft Original and HaySoft High Fibre.

“The range is produced from rye grass that is cut in late May or early June when nutritional values are highest,” said a spokesman for the company.

“Instead of allowing the grass to dry out completely, the rye grass is baled when the moisture content reaches 30-35% and is tightly wrapped with several layers of polythene to exclude any air.

“The haylage then mildly ferments over a period of 8-10 weeks which preserves the nutrients and prevents mould or dust spores forming, producing a moist, nutritious and dust free forage with no need for soaking.”

HaySoft is made by the producers of BedSoft bedding and is based at Frieze Hall Farm in Essex.

For more information visit: www.haysoft.co.uk

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 UK’s first haylage workshop will take place on 3 March at Vale View Equestrian Centre, Leicestershire.

Organiser the British Grassland Society has put together the event to address the issue of haylage being a distinct forage for horses, rather than a halfway house between silage and hay.

The workshop will deal with grass species, cutting stage, wrapping, as well as additives and analysis.

Pat Cole of Colehay has been making haylage for 15 years and welcomed the news of this workshop.

“Too much haylage last season was hastily made by people who didn’t have the right technology,” he said.

“It had insufficient wrapping, which produced a wet and unstable product which will make horses colic.

“It took me four or five years to get it right, and it’s quite simple when you know the rules.”

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