What about hay?

Hay can vary greatly from region to region but there are some basic qualities that carry over to all horse quality hay that should be looked at before feeding it to your horse. With winter on us and record low rainfall throughout most of the country there is a shortage and you may have to feed hay that you're not familiar with.
here are some basics that apply to most if not all horse quality hay.

1) coloring, the bale should be a pale green the longer it's been sitting around the more yellow it turns. Expect the outside of the bale to be yellowish but try and fish out at least a little bit from inside. the more yellow the less nutrients it has.

2) Rule of thumb, if the hay is stemmy and coarse looking it's probably for cattle. If you have questions ask, that cannot be stated enough. remember what a cow can eat a horse can not because the way their stomachs are designed.









3) Check for smell of mold or any odd coloring is the first clue. Mold comes in black or a white powerish coloring. No type of mold is safe to feed no matter anyone tells you. (I've been told by a professional horseman before that it is ok to feed black hay.) Again if you have questions please ask your vet or a trusted horse professional. If your gut is telling you something is wrong go with that.

Also check for dust and weeds for this is a sign of low quality hay as well. Hay varies so much according to where you live but these simple tips are wide reaching enough that they cover every type of hay I've encountered traveling across the United States.