Configurazione
As a general guideline, horses that are not worked or are only lightly exercised should get 100 percent of their energy from roughage. For moderate work (such as recreational sport), about 80 percent is recommended. Horses in more intense work (such as amateur-level sport with regular training) should receive around 75 percent of their total ration from roughage. Only in cases of very heavy workloads (high-level sport or intensive breeding operations) can the proportion of roughage be reduced to about 70 percent.
There is no general difference in hay feeding between stallions and mares. For stallions during breeding season, who may be more nervous and often experience dual demands from both breeding and sport, a generous roughage supply can have a calming effect. Roughage satisfies the horse’s natural need to chew and provides occupation. It also helps prevent gastric ulcers by ensuring there is always forage in the stomach.
Hay
Haylage
Straw
As horses age, their cells shrink and retain less water. This leads to a decrease in metabolism and reduced ability to store nutrients. Many older horses find it harder to eat dry hay due to worn teeth and slower intestinal movement. In these cases, soaked hay is often the easiest to consume.
For horses kept in open stables, roughage should be offered in multiple covered racks on a dry surface inside a pasture shelter.
How to Recognize High-Quality Hay
“It’s important that the grass is harvested at the right time, not when it’s still young, but once it’s in bloom, as that’s when the raw fiber content is higher,” emphasizes Katja Wagner from the Equine Husbandry Division at the Chamber of Agriculture Schleswig-Holstein. “Only then the first cut should take place. Horses need this fiber for healthy digestion. Chewing and salivation should take as much time as possible.”
Smell plays a key role in identifying good hay. Hay affected by mold smells musty. It also feels slimy and lacks a fresh, bright color. Moldy or fermenting hay may also feel unusually warm. A hay analysis can provide further insights into the quality of the forage. While mold typically doesn’t cause acute symptoms, it can be harmful over time, affecting organs such as the lungs or liver.
To determine the dust content, simply place a handful of hay on a sheet of paper and observe what particles fall off.
Hay should be stored in a cool, well-ventilated area throughout the year. It’s also important to avoid direct sunlight, which can heat the hay and promote the growth of mold and bacteria. Concrete flooring can increase the risk of mold, but this can be avoided by storing hay on wooden pallets, which also improves air circulation.
Feeding Smart: Quantity, Timing & Structure
Roughage should make up at least 70 percent of a horse’s daily feed intake, especially for sport horses or breeding stallions. Depending on the horse’s workload, this share can increase to up to 100 percent, such as in the case of lightly ridden leisure horses or senior horses. Feeding breaks should never be too long, as this can unnecessarily stress the stomach and intestines.
As herbivores and animals originally adapted to life on the steppe, horses would naturally spend 16 to 18 hours a day grazing with their heads lowered and their backs rounded. Offering hay on the ground most closely replicates this natural feeding posture. However, some horses tend to scatter their hay across the floor, contaminating it and trampling it. This can lead to losses and, in outdoor settings, mixing with sand, which may cause colic. For horses that gain weight easily, caution is needed with freely accessible hay. In these cases, tightly meshed hay nets (with mesh sizes under three centimeters) or special hay boxes and feeders are better options.
In general, 1.5 kilograms of roughage should be fed per 100 kilograms of body weight per day. If a horse’s body condition score is above six (on a scale of one to nine), feed adjustments may be necessary. To determine this, the horse’s weight must be accurately measured.
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