Should I feed Barley Hay?

Should I feed Barley Hay? 

Choosing hay for your horse is hard enough, especially given the rising costs. Settling on a variety that not only suits your horses needs, is easy to source and consistent in quality can be lot! Barley Hay is a variety we have been seeing more of in our online diet evaluation submissions. While barley hay can be a good choice for your horse, it must be feed with caution and it’s important to select a good quality one. 

Barley Hay is generally lower in calcium, energy and protein than some other types of hay but is still a good form of roughage. It is important to note that it is also higher in sugar so should be feed with caution to certain horses.  

The main concern regarding feeding barley hay is the presence of awns or seed heads. The awns are found on the end of the glumes in a spikelet that are quite sharp. These sharp awns can lodge themselves in the gums and tongue of the horse whilst they are eating the hay, and can become quite painful. If not checked regularly they can build up and lead to masses of the seeds being embedded in the gums, causing infection and a nasty smell. Removing the seeds is not easy and should be done with the help of a veterinarian or qualified horse dentist. 

Some things you can do to help prevent your horse suffering this if you do feed barley hay is to; 

• Check gums and tongue regularly for any signs of seeds  

• There are types of barley being grown that are awnless or beardless, this should be considered as a better alternative if you can source it. 

• Buy hay that has been baled at a younger stage when the awns are less developed and therefore not as harmful 

• If you can’t access these types of hay, you can soak your barley hay to help soften the awns before feeding. 

Feeding barley hay can be beneficial especially in winter or dry times when extra roughage is needed, however care should be taken and if you monitor your horse and choose carefully is safe to feed.  

Finding your horses ration troubling? Looking for a second opinion? Submit your horse’s diet online for a free diet evaluation!