Hays
NOTE: We are no longer selling hay. Thank you for your support.
Here is a short primer on horse hays available in Washington state.
The most popular grass hays grown in Eastern Washington are orchardgrass and timothy.
__ Orchardgrass is a soft, grassy hay that most horses find very palatable. It's often a good choice for young, growing horses or older horses with dental issues. (Adult horses love it too!)
__ Washington state timothy is world-famous, with much of it going to export markets. It features a stem and head and is typically less grassy-looking than orchardgrass, with more fiber and a little less protein.
__ Alfalfa is actually a legume, in the same family as soybeans and lentils, rather than a grass hay. It features tiny leaves on stems. Our alfalfa is typically 20 percent or higher in protein, much higher than horses need, so we don't recommend a straight alfalfa diet for them (although it's great for cattle). It can be a good choice for horses when fed with some grass hay in their ration. Since it's a major cattle feed, far more alfalfa than grass hay is grown in Washington.
Which hay is best?
The best hay is one that your horse (or other animal) does well on, cleaning it up readily and maintaining a healthy body weight. Like people, horses have preferences, so your horse can help you decide.
Older horses with dental issues may do best with a softer, grassier hay such as orchardgrass. (We recommend an annual dental checkup with a vet who has taken dental training.)
If more fiber and less protein are needed, timothy may be helpful.
Here is a short primer on horse hays available in Washington state.
The most popular grass hays grown in Eastern Washington are orchardgrass and timothy.
__ Orchardgrass is a soft, grassy hay that most horses find very palatable. It's often a good choice for young, growing horses or older horses with dental issues. (Adult horses love it too!)
__ Washington state timothy is world-famous, with much of it going to export markets. It features a stem and head and is typically less grassy-looking than orchardgrass, with more fiber and a little less protein.
__ Alfalfa is actually a legume, in the same family as soybeans and lentils, rather than a grass hay. It features tiny leaves on stems. Our alfalfa is typically 20 percent or higher in protein, much higher than horses need, so we don't recommend a straight alfalfa diet for them (although it's great for cattle). It can be a good choice for horses when fed with some grass hay in their ration. Since it's a major cattle feed, far more alfalfa than grass hay is grown in Washington.
Which hay is best?
The best hay is one that your horse (or other animal) does well on, cleaning it up readily and maintaining a healthy body weight. Like people, horses have preferences, so your horse can help you decide.
Older horses with dental issues may do best with a softer, grassier hay such as orchardgrass. (We recommend an annual dental checkup with a vet who has taken dental training.)
If more fiber and less protein are needed, timothy may be helpful.