What Is Quality Forage?

Short answer

Quality forage is clean, appropriate for your horse’s needs, and nutritionally consistent — not just inexpensive or convenient.

Forage should be free of mold, excessive dust, and foreign material, and appropriate in energy and sugar levels for the individual horse (AAEP; Merck Veterinary Manual).

It is the foundation of the diet — not filler.

Real-Life Example

Two bales of hay look similar.

One is leafy, smells fresh, and tests moderate in NSC.
The other is stemmy, dusty, and tests high in sugar.

If you’re managing a metabolic horse, those two hays create very different outcomes — even if they cost the same.

Price doesn’t equal suitability.

It Depends

Quality forage varies based on:

• Horse’s metabolic status
• Age and dental health
• Workload
• Protein needs
• Regional growing conditions
• Storage and handling

A high-performance horse may need higher energy forage.
A metabolic horse may need lower NSC forage.

“Good” forage is contextual.

When to Seek Guidance

If your horse shows:

• Chronic coughing
• Weight instability
• Recurrent laminitis
• Poor coat or hoof quality
• Digestive upset

Consult your veterinarian and consider forage testing.

Visual assessment helps — testing confirms.

Sources:
American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) – Forage Guidelines
Merck Veterinary Manual – Equine Feeding Management
National Research Council (NRC)