A Complete Guide to Choosing the Best Hay for Senior Horses

Last updated: May 10, 2025

By: Miles HenryFact Checked

Feeding older horses comes with unique challenges, and choosing the best hay for senior horses is one of the most critical decisions for maintaining their health, weight, and longevity. As horses age, changes in digestion, dentition, and metabolism mean that not all hays are created equal, especially for horses struggling with weight loss, dental problems, or chronic conditions like Cushing’s disease.

This guide will walk you through the most suitable hay options, practical alternatives like soaked hay for horses, and evidence-based feeding strategies that ensure your senior horse stays healthy and happy.

Nutritional Needs of Senior Horses

As horses enter their senior years, their nutritional needs shift in ways that require careful adjustment to their feeding program, especially when it comes to forage. Below, we break down the key physiological and health-related changes that affect how older horses digest, absorb, and benefit from their hay.

Why Older Horses Have Different Requirements

As horses age — typically around 18 years and older — their ability to chew, often due to dental wear and the loss of grinding surfaces, digest, and metabolize nutrients changes significantly. These physiological shifts impact appetite, body condition, and overall health. As a result, selecting the best hay for senior horses becomes a crucial part of maintaining their well-being.

For a deeper look at how aging affects the digestive system, see how equine digestion works and evolves with age.

Declining Digestive and Nutrient Absorption Capabilities

Senior horses often experience reduced microbial activity in their hindgut, limiting their ability to break down fiber and absorb essential nutrients like phosphorus, protein, and B vitamins. Additionally, older horses may produce less saliva, chew less thoroughly, or have dental challenges that reduce digestive efficiency. Choosing high-quality, easily digestible hay or incorporating prebiotic-rich, soaked forage alternatives helps maximize nutrient uptake and minimize digestive strain.

Appetite Challenges and Weight Loss

Many older horses become “hard keepers.” Diminished appetite, poor dentition, or chronic conditions can lead to reduced feed intake, weight loss, and muscle atrophy. Soft, palatable hay — especially second-cut grass hay or soaked hay — is essential for encouraging consistent consumption and maintaining energy levels.

Joint Health and Mobility Support

Maintaining a healthy body weight is one of the most effective ways to support aging joints. While hay itself doesn’t contain joint-specific nutrients like glucosamine or MSM, selecting the right forage can help reduce strain. In some cases, combining hay with fortified senior feeds that support joint health can provide additional support for mobility and comfort.

Managing Cushing’s, EMS, and Kidney Concerns Through Diet

Senior horses are more likely to develop chronic conditions that require targeted dietary management. Hay selection plays a key role in controlling symptoms and preventing complications:

• PPID (Cushing’s): Choose hays with a low non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) content — ideally under 12%.
• Metabolic syndrome (EMS): Horses with insulin resistance require ultra-low NSC hay (under 10%), such as Teff or low-NSC Timothy.
• Kidney disease: Avoid high-calcium, high-protein legume hays like alfalfa and opt for softer, moderate-grass hays instead.

For additional guidance on managing these conditions, see our resource on preventing laminitis in horses with metabolic issues.

🔗 Learn more about the nutritional needs of aging horses and how they differ from those of younger equines.

Evaluating the Best Types of Hay for Senior Horses

When evaluating hay options for older horses, it’s essential to understand how different forage types vary in nutrient content, digestibility, and ease of chewing. Below are the most commonly fed hays and how they perform for senior horses.

Best Grass Hays for Senior Horses

Grass hays like Timothy, Orchard Grass, Bermuda, and Teff are widely used in senior horse diets for their moderate calorie content, lower NSC levels, and chewable texture — essential for aging horses with dental wear or metabolic challenges.

Timothy Hay: Balanced and Reliable

Timothy is one of the most dependable options for senior horses. It’s moderate in calories, low in sugar, and helps support metabolic health and laminitis prevention. Its consistent quality and digestibility make it a go-to forage for many owners.

👉 Learn more in our guide on feeding hay to horses.

Orchard Grass: Soft and Senior-Friendly

Orchard grass is softer and more leafy than Timothy, making it especially suitable for dentally compromised horses. It’s also highly palatable, with a similar nutrient profile and slightly higher protein in some cuttings.

Bermuda Grass: Regional and Fine-Stemmed

Bermuda grass is popular in the southern U.S. and offers a fine stem structure that may be easier for seniors to chew if harvested early. Its nutritional value depends heavily on maturity and soil quality, so hay testing is recommended.

📘 See: Is Bermuda Hay Good for Your Horse?

Teff Hay: Ultra-Low NSC for Metabolic Horses

Teff hay is soft, digestible, and stands out for its very low NSC content, making it ideal for horses with Cushing’s (PPID), EMS, or laminitis risk. Its texture also suits horses with reduced chewing ability.

👉 Explore hay alternatives like pellets and cubes if your horse needs further support.

Comparison Snapshot

• Teff: Best for metabolic horses (ultra-low NSC)
• Orchard: Softest and most palatable
• Timothy: Reliable middle ground
• Bermuda: Chewable when harvested early, but quality varies

Legume Hays: Energy Dense, Use With Care

Legume hays like Alfalfa and Clover are high in protein, calcium, and calories, making them helpful for seniors who need to gain weight or have poor appetites. However, they must be used thoughtfully to avoid imbalances, especially in horses with kidney concerns or prone to enteroliths.

Alfalfa: High-Calorie Support for Hard Keepers

Alfalfa offers excellent digestibility and nutrient density, making it ideal for thin or picky senior horses. But its high calcium and protein content require balancing, particularly in horses with metabolic or urinary concerns.

📘 Learn more: Alfalfa Hay for Horses – The Good, the Bad, and Not So Good

Clover: A Regional Option With Caveats

Clover hay has a solid nutrient profile and works well in mixed forages. However, it’s more prone to moisture retention, which can lead to spoilage or mild mycotoxins. Some horses also develop “slobbers” in response.

🟡 Best used in moderation or when reliably cured and sourced.

Oat Hay: Variable, But Palatable When Young

Oat hay harvested before the grain heads mature can be a good option for older horses, offering moderate fiber and nutrients in a softer texture. Later-cut hay, however, develops coarse awns that may irritate sensitive mouths.

✅ Best for: Picky eaters and horses with no major dental issues, but only when early-cut and soft.

Native and Mixed Hays: Test Before Feeding

Regional blends can work well for senior horses, especially when soft and well-cured. Because these hays vary in plant composition and nutritional value, a hay analysis is strongly recommended before feeding.

Comparison Table: Best Hay Types for Senior Horses

Use this table to compare key hay characteristics and find the best match for your horse’s needs.

Hay Type	Protein	NSC	Digestibility	Calcium	Softness	Best For
Timothy	Moderate	Low	High	Moderate	Moderate	Most senior horses
Orchard Grass	Moderate	Low	High	Moderate	High (very soft)	Horses with dental issues
Bermuda	Moderate	Low–Moderate	Moderate–High	Moderate	Variable	Southern regions with quality forage
Teff	Moderate	Very Low	High	Low	High (soft)	Metabolic horses, laminitis-prone
Alfalfa	High	Low–Moderate	Very High	High	Moderate (soft)	Hard keepers, horses with poor appetite
Clover	Moderate	Moderate	High	High	Moderate	Mixed diets; less common due to spoilage risk
Oat Hay	Variable	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate	Variable (early-cut)	Picky eaters; only if soft and harvested early

🔎 Notes:

• Softness reflects chewability — critical for horses with dental wear or missing molars.
• NSC (Non-Structural Carbohydrates) is especially important for horses with metabolic disorders (PPID, EMS).
• Digestibility and protein help support weight and muscle maintenance in older horses.

Hay Quality and Testing: Why It Matters

As horses age, their ability to extract nutrients from forage declines, which means hay quality becomes even more critical to their health and longevity. While visual cues like smell and softness are helpful, they don’t always tell the full story. That’s where a proper hay analysis and targeted selection come in, especially for horses with metabolic syndrome or dental issues.

Learn more about choosing the best hay for your horse, including tips for evaluating cuttings, maturity, and regional forage options.

What Makes Hay Senior-Friendly?

When evaluating hay for older horses, don’t just focus on nutrients — physical quality, smell, and feel matter just as much. The right hay should be easy to chew, appealing to the senses, and free from contaminants.

Look for:

• ✅ Palatability: The hay should smell fresh and be something your horse wants to eat. Soft, leafy, fragrant hay encourages better intake — especially in horses with decreased appetite or sensory decline.
• ✅ Leafy texture, not coarse or stemmy
• ✅ Pleasant aroma with no musty or moldy smell
• ✅ Free from dust, mold, and foreign debris
• ✅ Consistent color and moisture content

Palatability can be the difference between a senior horse eating enough or not eating at all.

Hay Analysis: A Crucial Step

While visual and sensory checks are a good starting point, a hay analysis provides objective data to confirm nutrient levels and identify potential issues that aren’t visible to the eye, like excess sugars, unbalanced minerals, or low digestibility.

A standard hay analysis should include:

• Crude Protein: Aim for 10–12% to support muscle maintenance and overall condition.
• NSC (non-structural carbohydrates): Keep below 12% — or under 10% for metabolic horses — to reduce the risk of laminitis and insulin resistance. For related guidance, see Managing Equine Metabolic Syndrome.
• Calcium:Phosphorus: Maintain a ~2:1 ratio to support skeletal health and avoid mineral imbalances, especially when feeding legume hays like alfalfa.
• Fiber (NDF and ADF): Indicates the hay’s digestibility. Higher fiber values mean lower digestibility — a challenge for seniors with decreased chewing ability or gut function.

To dive deeper into what affects nutrient absorption and gut performance in older horses, check out common horse digestive problems and their causes.

Trustworthy Resources for Senior Horse Hay Evaluation

• 🧾 Understanding Hay Analysis – UMN Extension
• 📚 Feeding the Senior Horse – Iowa State Extension
• 📄 Feeding Horses Through the Life Stages – University of Arizona

These expert sources support the importance of analyzing hay by nutrient composition and considering changes in chewing ability, energy needs, and metabolic health.

Hay Alternatives: Soft, Safe Options for Horses with Dental Problems

As horses age and develop dental wear, from worn molars to missing teeth, chewing long-stem hay can become painful or even unsafe. Fortunately, various easy-to-chew hay alternatives can help maintain fiber intake, hydration, and nutrition when traditional forage is no longer viable.

Soaked Hay and Forage Substitutes

Soaking hay for 30–60 minutes softens tough stems, reduces airborne dust, and boosts moisture — all helpful for dentally compromised horses or those with reduced water intake. Soaked hay is especially beneficial in colder months or for horses prone to choke or dehydration.

Learn more about the pros and cons of hay alternatives for senior horses.

Hay Cubes and Pellets (Including Alfalfa Cubes)

Hay cubes and pellets offer a more consistent nutritional profile than baled hay and become soft and easy to chew when soaked into a mash.

• ✅ Grass-based cubes/pellets: Lower in calcium and calories; ideal for horses needing moderate nutrition.
• ✅ Alfalfa-based cubes: Calorie-dense, high in protein — excellent for underweight, picky seniors, or those needing extra support. When soaked, they form a soft, hydrating mash that improves intake and reduces feed waste.

For detailed research on alfalfa nutrition, see UC Davis’ Alfalfa Symposium.

Beet Pulp: High-Calorie, Digestible Fiber

Beet pulp is a highly digestible energy source, especially valuable for seniors who can’t tolerate grain. Always choose unmolassed beet pulp for metabolic safety, and soak it thoroughly before feeding to minimize choke or impaction risk.

Explore the benefits and cautions in Feeding Beet Pulp to Horses: The Good and the Bad</a>.

Complete Senior Feeds: Forage Replacement

When long-stem hay is no longer an option, complete senior feeds provide a full forage replacement. These mashable feeds deliver complete nutrition and are easy to eat, even for horses with missing molars.

✅ Check out top picks in our guide to the top-rated senior horse feeds.

Feeding Tips for Older Horses

Feeding older horses effectively takes more than just selecting the right hay — it’s also about how, when, and how much you feed. Here are key practices to help your senior horse stay healthy, comfortable, and well-nourished.

Smaller, Frequent Meals

Split hay and concentrates into 3–4 small meals per day to support steady digestion, maintain blood sugar balance, and prevent digestive overload. This approach is especially helpful for older horses with decreased gut motility or those managing metabolic conditions.

Hydration Is Key

Older horses may drink less due to dental discomfort or reduced thirst signals, increasing the risk of dehydration. Always provide clean, fresh water and consider adding moisture to their diet when needed.

Incorporating soaked hay, beet pulp, or senior feed mashes supports hydration, aids digestion, and reduces the risk of choke—especially in horses with chewing difficulties.

Monitor Body and Manure

Keep a regular log of your horse’s:

• Weight
• Body condition score (BCS)
• Manure texture and consistency

Tracking weight over time is especially important, as gradual loss is easy to miss. Not sure how to track accurately? Learn how to measure your horse’s weight without a scale using a weight tape or body measurement formulas.

Changes in manure — whether too loose, dry, or overly firm — can signal hydration issues, poor fiber intake, or gut health concerns. These should prompt a diet review and possibly a veterinary check-up.

Need to help your horse put on condition? Explore our senior weight gain guide for practical, feed-based solutions.

Prioritize Dental Exams

Schedule dental checks at least once a year, or twice yearly for older horses or those with known issues. Dental changes are a leading cause of decreased intake, weight loss, and poor digestion in senior horses.

Regular exams help identify problems like sharp enamel points, uneven wear, or lost molars before they impact feeding. For a deeper understanding of warning signs, see Does Your Horse’s Teeth Need Floating? Watch for These Signs.

✅ Senior Horse Hay Selection Checklist

• ✅ Hay is leafy, soft, mold-free, and palatable
• ✅ Nutrition matches horse’s condition (low NSC, high digestibility, etc.)
• ✅ Hay is tested for protein, NSC, and Ca:P ratio
• ✅ Alternatives like soaked cubes or beet pulp used when needed
• ✅ Fresh water and multiple meals offered daily
• ✅ Vet and nutritionist are consulted regularly
• ✅ Dental health is assessed at least annually
• ✅ Horse’s weight, appetite, and manure are monitored regularly to ensure the hay is well-tolerated

Senior Horse Hay FAQs

Conclusion: Feeding Senior Horses Right

Feeding older horses well starts with selecting the right hay—one that suits their digestion, dental health, and any underlying conditions. Timothy, Orchard, and Teff hays are top choices for most seniors due to their softness, low sugar levels, and high digestibility.

When long-stem forage becomes difficult or unsafe, soaked alfalfa cubes, beet pulp, and complete senior feeds provide safe and effective alternatives to maintain fiber intake and energy levels.

Whatever hay or supplement you choose, success comes down to three things: consistent dental care, customized feeding plans, and close monitoring of weight, appetite, and manure.

✅ Quick Checklist:

• Prioritize soft, low-NSC hays like Teff, Orchard, and Timothy
• Use soaked feed or alternatives if chewing or hydration is an issue
• Monitor weight, manure, and appetite closely
• Don’t skip dental exams—they directly impact nutrition

For more tips, check out our guides on preventing laminitis and feeding horses at risk of founder.

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