Quality forage is an important component of every horse’s diet, so it’s no surprise that owners often have a long list of criteria that potential hay must meet. In some areas, however, hay sources are few and far between. So what key factors impact your hay choice?

We posed this question to our readers in last week’s online poll. More than 1,750 votes were cast, and we’ve tallied the results!

Of the 1,760 responses, readers said the top factors that influence their hay selection were appearance (30%), availability and selection (17%), price (13%), nutritional values (12%), and sun-cured hay and no preservatives (7%). Other respondents (7%) said word of mouth was a key influencer, while others (5%) indicated that certified noxious weed free was an important factor in selecting hay. Other less common influencers included a veterinarian or nutritionist’s advice impacted their hay choice (5%), brand or company reputation (3%), and organic/non-GMO classification (3%).
 

Create a free account with TheHorse.com to view this content.

TheHorse.com is home to thousands of free articles about horse health care. In order to access some of our exclusive free content, you must be signed into TheHorse.com.

Start your free account today!

Already have an account?
and continue reading.