Sage-Tips

What can I give my horse instead of hay?

If your horse is no longer able to manage short chopped fibre, look for feeds that can be soaked to make a mash. Some products are only suitable for feeding as partial hay replacers, these include sugar beet and ‘pure’ alfalfa pellets/ chaffs.

Do horses need anything other than hay?

Provide plenty of roughage Many pleasure and trail horses don’t need grain: good-quality hay or pasture is sufficient. If hay isn’t enough, grain can be added, but the bulk of a horse’s calories should always come from roughage. A horse should eat one to two percent of their body weight in roughage every day.

Do horses eat anything other than hay?

A horse’s favorite breakfast, lunch, and dinner is nothing other than good ol’ grass! In addition to grazing on pasture, horses also often eat things like hay, concentrates, and treats! Let’s a take a closer look at each.

Why would a horse not eat hay?

Illness, dental problems, extreme fatigue, or the discomfort of gastric ulcers might keep some horses from eating. Alfalfa (lucerne) or an alfalfa/grass mix will be appealing to most horses. On the other hand, horses might refuse to eat hay that is moldy, old, coarse and stemmy, or full of weeds.

What to feed an old horse who can’t eat hay?

beet pulp
Alternatives to Traditional Hay Adding beet pulp to your horse’s morning meal is one popular way to help them maintain their weight and control their rate of grain consumption. Beet pulp is available with or sans added molasses and its soft texture makes it easy for toothless horses to consume.

Why is my horse not eating hay?

How long can horses go without hay?

Ideally, horses shouldn’t go more than 3-4 hours without foraging/grazing. I know my guys go longer periods during the evening, but they will still paw through the snow and find whatever they can to munch on.

Are horses picky about hay?

Horse owners are known for being picky about hay selection, and we literally end up paying the price for higher quality hay than our livestock-raising neighbors.

How long can a horse go without eating?

“A horse can live for almost a month without food, but within a mere 48 hours without water a horse can begin to show signs of colic and can quickly develop an impaction, lethargy, and life-threatening sequelae. A horse can only survive about five days without water,” shares Peter Huntington, B.V.

Do horses prefer hay to grass?

“Horses can consume their daily requirement of grass in a matter of hours. “Feeding hay can also help horses who suffer from digestive disturbance on too much or rich grass. These horses can be better off with restricted grass and being fed hay instead.”

Are hay cubes good for horses?

Alfalfa cubes can be used effectively as the sole source of roughage for all classes of horses. Because of the high nutrient values for energy, protein, calcium, and vitamins, alfalfa cubes are very effective in feeding programs for broodmares and young growing horses.

Can horses eat grain instead of hay?

Although they can eat grain, they still need a forage substitute that provides the +20\% fiber content that good pasture or hay provides. There are a few things that you can feed horses as a substitute for hay.

What can I give my horse instead of forage?

One of the best forage alternatives is chopped hay. While still encouraging the horse to salivate to maintain gastric health, chopped hay is easy to chew, easy to swallow alternative to normal hay. It’s easy to find, easy to eat, and can be a complete substitute for your horse’s forage intake.

Why do horses like Hay in groups?

This is beneficial for horses with breathing problems such as heaves. In groups of horses, offering various piles of hay will also ensure all horses have access to the forage. This is particularly salient for horses low in the pecking order that get excluded.

How to feed hay to horses with breathing problems?

Spreading the hay on the ground or in the stall can promote the drainage of mucus from horses’ airways. This is beneficial for horses with breathing problems such as heaves. In groups of horses, offering various piles of hay will also ensure all horses have access to the forage.