Does My Horse Still Need Hay in Spring?

Spring arrives, the paddocks turn green and suddenly your horse seems surrounded by food. It can be tempting to look at all that fresh grass and assume the hay can go.

But does your horse actually still need hay in spring?

The answer is: it depends on how much suitable pasture your horse is actually eating, not simply how green the paddock looks.

Forage should remain the foundation of a horse’s diet throughout the year. During spring, pasture may provide a much larger proportion of that forage, but for many horses it does not automatically replace hay completely.

Understanding what your paddock is providing, how your horse is managing the change to spring grass and whether they are consuming enough fibre can help you decide how much hay should stay in the diet.

Green Doesn't Always Mean Plenty

One of the easiest mistakes to make in spring is judging pasture by colour.

A paddock can look beautifully green while still providing relatively little actual forage. New spring shoots may be short, sparse or unevenly distributed, particularly after a dry winter or in heavily grazed paddocks.

Your horse may spend plenty of time grazing without actually consuming enough dry matter to meet their needs.

This is especially important in Western Australia, where the change from dry summer and autumn paddocks to rapidly growing winter and spring pasture can be dramatic.

Before removing hay, look at the density and height of the pasture, not just its colour.

If horses are grazing pasture down very closely, spending long periods searching for grass, congregating around feeding areas or rapidly finishing any hay offered, the paddock may not be providing as much forage as it appears.

Why Forage Still Matters

Horses evolved to consume forage for much of the day. Their digestive systems are designed around regular intake of fibrous plant material rather than a small number of large meals.

Adequate forage supports normal gut function, provides fibre for the hindgut microbiome and helps maintain natural feeding behaviour.

Long periods without forage are something we generally want to avoid.

This means the goal in spring should not necessarily be to stop feeding hay, but rather to work out how much of your horse's forage requirement is now being supplied by pasture.

For some horses with access to abundant, mature pasture, additional hay may eventually become unnecessary.

For others, hay may remain an important part of the diet throughout spring.

Spring Grass Can Change Very Quickly

Spring pasture is not nutritionally identical to hay.

Young, actively growing pasture can be highly digestible and may contain considerably more energy and water than mature dry forage. Depending on the pasture species, weather and growing conditions, it can also contain relatively high levels of sugars.

That is one reason horses should generally be introduced to lush spring pasture gradually rather than suddenly moving from a predominantly hay-based diet to unrestricted grazing.

Keeping some hay in the diet during the transition can help maintain fibre intake while pasture access increases.

It may also help prevent hungry horses from rushing onto lush pasture and consuming large quantities very quickly.

For horses prone to laminitis, obesity or metabolic problems, spring pasture may require particularly careful management and veterinary or equine nutrition advice.

So, When Can I Reduce Hay?

Rather than stopping hay on a particular date, reduce it according to what your pasture and your horse are telling you.

As pasture becomes established, you may be able to gradually reduce the amount of hay offered while monitoring:

• body condition

• pasture availability

• manure consistency

• appetite and feeding behaviour

• weight gain or loss

• how quickly available pasture is being grazed down.

If your horse is maintaining an appropriate body condition and has continuous access to sufficient suitable forage from pasture, less supplementary hay may be required.

If the paddock is short, heavily grazed or inconsistent, removing hay simply because it is spring can leave your horse short of forage.

It is also worth remembering that different horses sharing the same paddock can have very different needs. An easy keeper may need pasture restricted, while an older horse, growing horse or horse in heavier work may still benefit from additional hay.

Hay Can Be Useful for Managing Spring Pasture Intake

Hay isn't only useful when grass is scarce.

It can also be part of your spring pasture-management strategy.

For example, offering hay before turning a horse onto a lush paddock may mean they are less hungry when they reach the grass. Hay can also provide forage during periods when pasture access needs to be restricted.

This can be particularly useful if horses are only given limited grazing time, are kept in yards or sacrifice paddocks for part of the day, or need their intake of spring grass controlled.

In those situations, completely removing hay could result in long periods without anything to eat.

If You're Still Feeding Hay, Quality Matters

Even though spring pasture may reduce the amount of hay you need, the hay you continue feeding should still be good quality.

Spring can sometimes be the time when people are trying to use up older hay while waiting for the new season's supply. That makes checking each bale particularly important.

Watch for Mould

Mouldy hay should not be fed.

Hay that was baled with too much moisture or stored in damp conditions can develop mould. Warning signs can include musty smells, unusual discolouration, dampness or visible fungal growth.

Mould spores can contribute to respiratory problems, and compromised hay may also present digestive risks.

If a bale smells or looks suspicious, it is safer not to feed it.

Check for Excessive Dust

Some hay naturally produces a little dust when handled, but excessively dusty hay can irritate a horse's respiratory system.

This is particularly important for horses with respiratory sensitivities.

If dust is a recurring problem, soaking or steaming may sometimes help, although soaking can also alter the nutritional composition of hay and wet hay should not be left sitting around where it can spoil.

Look Through the Hay

Don't assume every bale is identical.

As you feed, keep an eye out for unusual weeds, foreign objects, wire, dead animals or plants you don't recognise.

Some plant species can be toxic to horses, while others may cause irritation or simply make the hay less palatable.

In Western Australia, Annual Ryegrass Toxicity (ARGT) is another important consideration. Hay containing annual ryegrass can potentially present a serious risk if contaminated with the organism responsible for ARGT. Buying hay from a reputable supplier who understands these risks is important.

Does the Type of Hay Matter in Spring?

It can.

If your horse is receiving increasing amounts of nutritious pasture, you may not necessarily need the same type or amount of hay that you fed through winter.

A horse receiving plenty of good spring pasture may simply need additional forage to maintain fibre intake during periods when pasture is unavailable.

Other horses may need hay that contributes more significantly to their energy or protein requirements.

The nutritional value of hay varies considerably depending on plant species, maturity at harvest, growing conditions and storage.

Generally, younger, leafier forage tends to be more digestible and nutrient-dense, while later-cut hay is usually more mature and stemmy.

For horses with particular nutritional requirements, hay analysis can provide much more useful information than judging a bale by appearance alone.

Don't Forget About Body Condition

Spring is also a time when horses can gain weight surprisingly quickly.

If your horse suddenly has access to abundant pasture while receiving the same amount of hay and hard feed they were eating through winter, their total energy intake can increase significantly.

That doesn't mean forage should simply be removed.

Instead, look at the whole diet.

A horse gaining unwanted weight may need changes to pasture access, concentrates or the type and amount of forage being provided.

Regularly checking body condition and, where possible, using a weight tape can help you identify changes before they become significant.

Store Your Hay Properly

Even if you are feeding less hay during spring, good storage remains important.

Hay should be kept somewhere dry and well ventilated, protected from rain and ground moisture. Ideally, bales should be stored off the ground with enough airflow to prevent dampness and heat accumulation.

Rodent control is also important around hay-storage areas.

Older hay can remain perfectly usable when stored correctly, but nutritional quality gradually declines over time. Always assess older hay before feeding rather than assuming that because it was good when purchased, it is still good now.

Know Where Your Hay Comes From

Having a reliable hay supplier becomes especially valuable when seasonal conditions change.

A good supplier should be able to tell you what type of hay you are buying, where it was grown and, where relevant, what testing has been undertaken.

Consistency also helps when managing horses with sensitive digestive systems or specific nutritional requirements, because dramatic changes between different batches of forage can make diet management more difficult.

So, Does Your Horse Still Need Hay This Spring?

Possibly — and for many horses, the answer will be yes, at least for part of spring.

Fresh pasture can gradually replace some or even most of the hay in a horse's diet when there is enough of it. But the appearance of green grass alone isn't a reason to take hay away.

Think about the total amount of forage your horse is actually consuming.

If there isn't enough pasture, hay fills the gap.

If pasture access needs to be restricted, hay can provide forage during the hours your horse is off grass.

If pasture is abundant and your horse is maintaining healthy body condition with plenty of suitable forage available throughout the day, hay requirements may naturally decrease.

The important part is making the transition gradually and responding to your horse and your paddock rather than the calendar.

Spring feeding isn't about choosing between grass or hay. It's about making sure your horse continues to receive enough appropriate forage as one gradually replaces the other.

If you're unsure how much hay your horse needs alongside spring pasture, particularly if your horse is overweight, prone to laminitis, has digestive problems or has specific performance requirements, speak with your veterinarian or a qualified equine nutritionist.