Hay for Horses: What Good Hay Really Looks Like

From Field to Forage: What Makes Hay Good?

As farmers begin cutting hay, it’s the perfect time to walk your fields and take a closer look at what’s growing. It’s not just about timing or volume—this is your window into the health of your land and, by extension, the long-term health of your horse. Observing what’s in the field can tell you a lot about forage quality, species diversity, and soil management.

So what makes good hay?

In short, it should be diverse, clean, low in sugar, and ideally grown without synthetic inputs. But more importantly, it needs to suit your individual horse—and that’s where things get more interesting.

A high-quality hay for horses generally ticks the following boxes:

• A diverse mix of grasses, legumes, and herbs (low in sugar, high in fibre)
• Organically grown or at least free from synthetic chemicals
• Free from mould, dust, and contaminants
• Cut at the right stage for ideal protein and fibre levels
• Managed regeneratively to support soil life and biodiversity
• Provides the right nutritional profile for your specific horse

That last point? That’s where things get nuanced—because not every horse has the same needs.

I’m not a nutritionist, but over the past year I’ve spent a lot of time researching this, speaking to experienced equine nutritionists, and looking into how to feed more in alignment with the horse’s physiology and the land. What I’ve found is that most horses can thrive on a forage-based diet—if we take the time to understand what they really need.

Let’s start with the concept of fullness.

We often assume that horses feel full based on how their nutrient intake, but horses don’t feel full the way we do. Their sense of satiety comes from fibre—specifically, fibre that stretches the small intestine and activates gut-based stretch receptors. If that fibre volume isn't met, your horse will keep eating, trying to trigger those signals. This is why so many horses overeat on short, sugar-rich grazing. The fibre’s too low, the sugar too high, and the body never gets the message to stop. The result? Constant grazing, weight gain, metabolic stress, and eventually laminitis.

So how do you know how much forage your horse needs to feel full?

One of the simplest and most effective methods is to test their natural appetite. Separate them (ideally for 24 hours), give free access to hay or forage, and weigh how much they eat. That gives you their base fibre requirement—the volume they need to satisfy their gut. Do this a few times to get a reliable average.

And remember, horses with wider ribcages and bigger barrelled bodies (like cobs or heavy horses) usually need more volume to feel satisfied than narrower breeds like thoroughbreds or Arabs. Their guts simply have more space to fill.

Feeding with Intention: Matching Hay to Your Horse

From there, we look at energy and protein.

Most horses in light or moderate work don’t need additional calories—unless they’re in heavy training, covering long distances daily, or living in extremely cold climates (think the artic, not the UK). If your horse does need more energy, look to add calories through fibre or fat, not sugar or starch.

Protein requirements can be estimated by multiplying your horse’s energy needs by around six. You’ll want to adjust slightly for age, workload, or health status—growing, older, injured, or hard-working horses may need a little more. If your hay’s low in protein, alfalfa pellets are a great addition. They’re rich in protein, high in calcium, and easy to digest.

Matching hay to your horse’s needs means comparing their requirements to the actual analysis of your forage. You’ll need to know the nutrient values of your hay—ideally in grams per kilo (g/kg)—and compare that against how much your horse is eating per day. Multiply the nutrient values by the intake to see if your hay meets their fibre, energy, and protein needs.

But don’t stop there—minerals matter too.

Keep an eye on the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio (ideally around 2:1), and watch for antagonistic imbalances like high iron interfering with zinc or copper uptake. These small details can have big effects on metabolic health and immune resilience.

And when it comes to supplements?

Be cautious with broad-spectrum balancers. They often include a scattergun mix of nutrients that may not be appropriate for your hay or your horse’s actual needs. Where possible, it’s better (and cheaper!) to meet requirements through whole food options rather than powders.

For example:

• Low in protein? Add alfalfa pellets or linseed
• Need more fibre? Beet pulp or soaked soy hulls are great
• Lacking minerals? Consider chia seeds, linseed, or pumpkin seeds for copper and zinc
• Need omega-3s? Linseed or chia are solid, anti-inflammatory sources
• Missing calcium? Alfalfa or beet pulp can help rebalance

Introducing these slowly and strategically can make a big difference—without relying on pre-blended powders that may be unnecessary (and expensive).

When testing hay, go through independent labs, not feed stores. Many feed companies will test for you, but the results are often skewed to upsell their own products. Independent labs not only provide more accurate, unbiased results—they’re usually cheaper, too.

Also, be cautious not to over-rely on what you can see in a pasture. While above-ground diversity is a good start, it’s not the whole picture. The real magic happens below the surface—in the soil. If you can, talk to your hay grower about their soil health, pasture age, and overall management. Is what you’re seeing typical of the full field? How has this year's odd weather—like the dry spring—affected growth and nutrition?

These environmental shifts can drastically change nutrient profiles, even in plant species traditionally considered “safe” or “low sugar.” This is why testing is non-negotiable if you’re trying to feed proactively.

Feeding horses well means looking past marketing and convenience. It means tuning in to their biology, their needs, and the land their food comes from. That’s what I’ve been learning, and that’s what I want to share here—not as a nutritionist, but as a horse owner doing the work to understand more.

One last note: don’t forget that soaking or steaming hay will change its nutritional profile—sometimes significantly. Soaked hay, for example, can reduce water-soluble sugars (good for laminitics), but it may also leach out minerals you were counting on. Always test hay in the form you intend to feed it, or adjust accordingly.

Horses thrive on diversity, simplicity, and understanding—and that starts with the hay.