Alfalfa is one of the best types of hay that you can feed your horse. However, there are several myths around this hay, such as it’s “too rich” or it is “hard on the kidneys.” The fact of the matter is that these statements are simply not true. You’ll hear them come out of the mouths of some of the oldest horsemen, but they are simply myths.
The main reason that people tend to think that alfalfa is hard on the kidneys is because horses do tend to urinate more frequently when eating alfalfa. This is due to the horse’s body eliminating the excess nitrogen from their bodies. Alfalfa contains a high amount of protein, which is converted into nitrogen in the body. The body uses what it needs and eliminates the rest. Just because the horse urinates frequently doesn’t mean that the hay is hard on his kidneys, it simply means that the horse’s body is healthy and functioning properly.
Due to the excess nitrogen, you’ll probably smell a strong ammonia scent, especially if horses are housed in stalls. This is nothing to be alarmed about and is perfectly natural. However, you do want to keep stalls clean – particularly if you have foals in the barn. Ammonia tends to linger in the area right around the height of their noses, so for their health it is important that the barn is well ventilated.
Alfalfa may be fed with plain oats, but you do need to keep in mind that your horse’s phosphorous to calcium ratio needs to remain at a ratio of 2:1. The combination of plain oats and alfalfa can throw off this balance and cause calcium deficiency in horses. It is important that you test the alfalfa to ensure this does not happen. Excess phosphorous binds with calcium in the body and can create a deficiency. The body will react by drawing calcium from the bones, which can cause them to become brittle. Horses that have an upside down calcium to phosphorous ratio are prone to bone breakages.
When selecting alfalfa or any legume hay for that matter, the leaf to stem ratio is very important. You want to find a hay that has a lot of leaves and a little stem. All of the hay’s nutrition is located in the leaves and the stem has virtually no nutritional value. The stems are poorly digested as well. As the leaf to stem ratio goes up, so does the hay’s protein level. Early cut alfalfa tends to have a higher leaf to stem ratio.
To learn more about feeding your horse, purchase Horses 101: The Complete Guide to Buying & Caring for Your Horse today.
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