Is Hay a Nutritionally Balanced Diet?
For horses with low nutrient requirements, mid-maturity hay can meet most of the nutrient needs. Hay is low in sodium and chloride, so a salt block is necessary. Some horses may need a minimal amount of grain to maintain body weight if late maturity hay is fed. Lactating mares, growing horses, and horses in moderate to heavy work usually cannot eat enough hay to meet their nutrient requirements and will almost always need some grain in their diets. The type of hay used will affect the amount and type of grain that is needed by horses (Table 2). When early maturity hays are fed, the amount of grain in the diet can often be reduced. One of the big advantages of alfalfa is the amount of protein it provides. When alfalfa hay is fed, the amount of crude protein provided by the grain can be reduced. For example, if a lactating mare is receiving mid-maturity timothy hay, a grain mix containing 14 to 16% crude protein will be needed. If alfalfa is fed, the concentration of protein in the grain
