Hay Tip for Easy Keepers

Never cut back on hay to reduce calorie intake; instead, change to a more mature grass hay that will provide plenty of fiber but less energy.

Why? Because, hay, which provides your horse with essential fiber, is an extremely important part of a horse’s diet. Horses should consume no less than 1.5% of their body weight per day in fiber. Even overweight horses need fiber to remain healthy.

Calculating the least amount of hay your horse needs:
1,200 lbs = 18 lbs of hay per day (1,200 x .015 = 18)
1,000 lbs = 15 lbs of hay per day (1,000 x .015 = 15)
900 lbs = 13.5 lbs of hay per day (900 x .015 = 13.5)

Not every flake of hay weights the same! Get control of your horse’s calorie count and feed by weight, not by volume.

To determine the weight of a flake of hay by using a digital bathroom scale, follow these five easy steps.

1) Weigh yourself first (120 lbs, e.g.)
2) Weigh yourself holding a flake of hay (123 lbs, e.g.)
3) Subtract your original weight from your weight while holding the hay to determine the weight of the flake of hay. (123-120 = 3, so the flake weighs 3 lbs)
4) Weigh several flakes from several bales of hay to determine the “average” weight per flake.
5) Repeat the process each time you get in a new load of hay.

To provide adequate vitamin and mineral nutrition, skip the handful of grain and instead offer 2 to 4 ounces of Micro-Phase^TM along with your hay. Micro-Phase is designed to provide the nutrients missing from the hay, ensuring your horse gets the nutrition he or she needs without the unnecessary calories.