Question

We reseeded our hayfield with alfalfa in early spring. The first cutting of hay was fine stemmed and extremely leafy—absolutely beautiful hay! Can I feed it to my mature, easy-keeping Quarter Horse gelding? He is in light work and weighs about 1,400 lb (640 kg). My pasture is very short, and it is hot and dry here. I let him out on the pasture from 8:00 a.m. to noon. He gets 6 lb (2.7 kg) of weighed mixed-grass hay four times a day.

Answer

Alfalfa can be beneficial for many horses, especially those with significant energy requirements, such as late-gestation and lactating broodmares and many types of performance horses.

At 1,400 lb (640 kg), you’ll want to provide your gelding about 21-28 lb (9.5-12.7 kg) of forage per day. You are feeding 24 lb (11 kg) of grass hay per day supplemented with some pasture, so total daily forage intake is sufficient right now.

Because your horse is an easy keeper, adding alfalfa hay to his diet may result in weight gain, as high-quality alfalfa hay tends to be higher in calories than grass hays. Instead of alfalfa, he should be fed a high-quality balancer pellet or vitamin and mineral supplement if he receives nothing to eat but hay and pasture.

Unsure how best to supply your horse with vital nutrients? Find the answers here: Fortified Feed, Ration Balancer, or Vitamin and Mineral Supplement for Horses: Which Do I Choose?

Would you like more information on alfalfa? Go here: Alfalfa: When Is It the Right Choice for Horses?