It’s lush, leafy, and green. It has a pleasantly earthy, sweet aroma. And it just looks so much more appealing than your ordinary bale of grass hay. Are you a disservice by not feeding your horses alfalfa hay? Before you splurge on the good stuff, let’s learn more about this forage and which horses do and do not benefit from having it in their diets.
What Is Alfalfa Hay?
Alfalfa is a legume as opposed to a grass, like most hay. As a result, it has a different nutrient profile than grass hay—alfalfa is higher in protein, calcium, and energy. It also tends to be lower in nonstructural carbohydrates (starch and sugar) than many grass hays.
Depending on where you live, alfalfa might be readily available or a delicacy you must pay a premium to have shipped in. You can buy it in various forms, from your typical bale to cubed, chopped, and pelleted products.
Which Horses Benefit From Alfalfa Hay?
Alfalfa’s higher protein and energy levels make it an excellent choice for certain types of horses, including:
- Growing horses: The extra protein and calories in alfalfa support their growth and development.
- Performance horses: The additional energy in alfalfa helps support hard-working horses like racehorses, eventers, and other athletes.
- Horses in poor body condition: Alfalfa’s nutrient density can help underweight horses and hard keepers gain and maintain a healthy weight.
- Pregnant or nursing mares: The extra calcium and protein in alfalfa support the nutritional needs of mares during these life stages.
- Horses with certain muscle disorders: Some horses prone to “tying up” have higher protein needs that alfalfa helps meet.
- Horses with gastric ulcers: Alfalfa’s calcium helps buffer the stomach acid that causes these painful lesions.
Horses That Should Not Eat Alfalfa
While alfalfa offers benefits for many horses, it might not be the best choice for others, including:
- Easy-keeping horses: Alfalfa’s higher calorie content can cause easy keepers (aka, horses that gain weight very easily) and nonworking horses to become overweight.
- Horses with kidney issues: Alfalfa’s high protein content can be hard on the kidneys of horses with renal problems.
- Horses at risk of heat stress: Protein metabolism produces heat, so avoid feeding alfalfa to athletes working in hot conditions, such as endurance horses.
- Horses with HYPP: Alfalfa’s high potassium levels can be detrimental to horses with the genetic muscle disease hyperkalemic periodic paralysis.
- Horses with unpigmented skin: These horses are at risk of photosensitization—excessive sunburn—associated with alfalfa consumption.
Feeding Horses Alfalfa Safely
If you do choose to feed alfalfa, introduce it slowly—as you should any new component of your horse’s diet. Start by mixing it with grass hay, gradually increasing the alfalfa ratio over time. And, always have fresh, clean water available.
For some horses, a mixed grass/alfalfa hay is the best forage option. Take, for instance, a horse that’s prone to developing gastric ulcers but is also an easy keeper. He benefits from the calcium levels but doesn’t need the high nutrient value of pure alfalfa. Growing horses are another population that benefits from grass/alfalfa hay. This is because you don’t want them to grow so quickly that they’re at risk of developmental orthopedic disease.
A word of caution: Before feeding horses alfalfa, inspect it for mold, weeds, and foreign objects like you would any hay, but also take a hard look for blister beetles. These flying insects feed on alfalfa blossoms and occasionally get baled in the hay. Dead or alive, they’re toxic to horses.
Take-Home Message
Alfalfa can be a great addition to your horse’s diet, but it’s important to consider your individual horse’s needs. Chat with your veterinarian or an equine nutritionist to determine if alfalfa is the right choice, and how much to feed.
Related Reading:
- Your Ultimate Guide to the Different Types of Horse Hay
- How To Find the Best Hay for Your Horse
- How To Inspect Your Horse’s Hay
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