Learning how to feed your horses correctly is one of the most important pieces of knowledge that you can learn as a horse owner. This article provides a brief overview of the nutritional aspects of hay.
The kind of hay that you feed your horse is one of the most important decisions you will make as an owner. Horses that spend six out of seven days in the pasture or paddock with little exercise will require a different kind of hay than more active horses. If you feed hay that is high in alfalfa content, then you will need hay that is high in protein. You can choose a grass hay with about a quarter alfalfa, as this is a good healthy mix.
Horses that are worked more frequently will need a higher alfalfa or protein content. This will help keep your horse’s energy up to perform his best. Here are some things that you should consider when making your hay purchase. First, make sure you understand exactly what you are buying. Here are some things you should watch out for when choosing your hay. First, look out for signs of mold or mildew. Either one of these will make your horse sick if he ingests it. Dust is another thing you should look out for if you are looking for hay. Dusty hay has been known to cause horse heaves. This condition is the human equivalent of emphysema. Dust will often affect your horse negatively, causing him to breathe with difficulty and cough. A horse’s cough may become so bad that it cannot be ridden, as exertion may only exacerbate the problem.
It is important to maintain a good relationship with your hay seller in order to ensure that you continue to get the best hay. Hay for horses-a nutritional aspect helps ensure that you get the most for your dollar. As a general rule, you should feed your horses the best quality hay at least twice a day. The ideal and more acceptable feeding schedule would be four times a day. This is because horses have small stomachs and thus need to graze on a long-period basis. Horses do not eat large meals and then digest, but rather they eat in small amounts, frequently.
Why is good quality hay so important for your horse? It will keep your horse’s digestive system running smoothly. The body works hard to digest the hay, especially the fiber in it. The digestion process will aid in keeping your horse warm. In general, you can feed hay all year around if you choose to supplement your horse with it. This can work as long as you keep your horse on grass pasture at the same time. Hopefully, both are available to you. If your horse doesn’t have access to a grass pasture, it is perfectly acceptable to feed hay each day.
How much hay should you feed to your horses? Some people feed large round bales to their horses. This can help eliminate some of the work associated with feeding several times a day, although it may cause quite a mess. Most horses like the grazing options that open feeding offers. Make certain to feed the same kind of hay for horses-a nutritional aspect on a consistent basis. Many horses have sensitive stomachs and will not take well to sudden changes in their diets.
Colic is one problem that many horse owners must eventually deal with. One way to describe this problem is as a bad stomachache in horses. Colic can be caused by any number of problems. One of the most common factors is a sudden change in the horses diet. Always make sure to make the change gradually if you need to change your horse’s diet. Once a horse has gotten colic, they are more likely to get colic again.
There is still some controversy surrounding the feeding of alfalfa to horses. When considering hay for horses-a nutritional aspect, alfalfa is indeed a very good supplement at any working level. Of course, you don’t want to feed an excess of anything. Feeding free choice hay is not the issue. A horse will not make itself sick on hay. In general, free choice hay feeding is a good option for feeding. However, just because you are feeding your horse on a free basis doesn’t mean you shouldn’t constantly check up on him.
What are the benefits of hay feeding? Grass, alfalfa, clover and timothy are easy to handle and easy to store and transport. The hay you feed your horse is as important as the water you give him. Thus, you will need to analyze your horse’s needs and make a choice as to what kind of hay and combination of grains will work best for your horse. If you have any questions, it’s best to seek the advice of your veterinarian.
