{"id":36412,"date":"2022-01-03T10:03:05","date_gmt":"2022-01-03T15:03:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yourhorsefarm.flywheelsites.com\/?p=36412"},"modified":"2023-03-27T14:51:00","modified_gmt":"2023-03-27T18:51:00","slug":"types-of-horse-hay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yourhorsefarm.com\/types-of-horse-hay\/","title":{"rendered":"Types of Horse Hay"},"content":{"rendered":"

Quality horse hay should be free of mold, dust, and noxious weeds. The earlier a hay is harvested (within the life cycle of the grass), the more nutrients will be available for your horse.\u00a0Late-harvested hays can be coarse and thick, as well as lower in nutrients and palatability than hays harvested in early to mid-bloom.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Legume vs. Grass Hays<\/b><\/h2>\n

There are\u00a0two general types of hay:\u00a0legume and grass.\u00a0Legume hays\u00a0are higher in protein, calcium, Vitamin A, and digestible energy than grass hays.\u00a0While growing horses, pregnant\/lactating mares, and equine athletes may need a higher energy source\u00a0such as that provided by legume hays, many\u00a0horses do not.<\/span><\/p>\n

While lower in protein and energy, grass hays\u00a0tend to be\u00a0higher in fiber than legume hays and can sufficiently meet the majority of\u00a0nutrient needs of most horses.\u00a0Grass hays can be further divided into cool and warm season grasses (depending on where they thrive), with cool season grasses typically being a little higher in sugar and energy content (and palatability) than warm season grasses.<\/span><\/p>\n

Legume Hays<\/b>:<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n