I am sure that hay is on the minds of many of us as we prepare for the long months of winter to come. Hay is of course a very important component of the equine diet, but for some individuals hay becomes a problem. Fortunately there are some "hay substitutes" available for those horses with special needs. In a year when hay is in short supply due to environmental conditions, these alternatives work well in the horse who could normally do well on baled hay.
The most likely reason to make a switch away from standard baled hay is for dental conditions. Over time, some horses will lose some teeth or the teeth will become so worn that the chewing they do is no longer effective. Some horses need access to hay restricted because of respiratory issues. They react to the small particles that are present in hay.
Three basic hay substitutes are usually easy to find. Hay cubes, complete feeds and hay pellets can be purchased from most feed stores.
Hay cubes are made from long stem hay by cutting, drying it and compressing it into cubes. They come in 50 lb. bags. Most people have found it is best to soak the cubes for about 10 minutes before feeding in order to prevent choke (esophageal obstruction). The shorter stem length makes chewing easier and more effective.
Complete feeds such as the "senior" products are designed for the horse that is having trouble with chewing and digesting long stemmed forage. The feed is high in fiber content but still contains lots of what is in the concentrate grain products. Care should be used in how much of this feed to put in front of the horse at any one feeding. Most horses that are fed only these feeds are fed 3 or 4 times daily.
Hay pellets can be made from grass, alfalfa or a combination. The process of making hay pellets involves dehydration and grinding of the forage which is then shaped into pellets about 2 inches long. These have virtually no dust and are very easy to handle. No soaking is needed when feeding the forage in this form.
When replacing hay with a substitute, be sure to think about the weight of feed and not just volume. A typical horse can require anywhere between 1-2% of his body weight in feed daily. In a 1000 lb. horse that is 10-20 lbs. of food every day. Also consider time spent on pasture as they can consume a lot of grass that would be counted toward that total as well.
If you have a horse that you think would benefit from a hay alternative then explore it with your veterinarian at the next visit!
Owning Your First Horse
