Recognizing hay quality: color, smell and analysis

What color tells you about your hay

Good hay has a golden-yellow to light-green color. A fresh green tint indicates early-cut grass with high nutritional value, while light yellow indicates hay cut at a slightly later stage that's still perfectly usable. Brown or gray batches are a warning sign: that hay has probably gotten wet during drying, been cut overripe or stored poorly. Such a batch may contain molds and is of little value to your horse. Also look for even color throughout the entire bale — color variations within one bale often indicate uneven drying.

Smell and structure: how to assess them

Smell the hay before you buy or feed it. Good hay smells fresh, slightly herbal and dry — a bit like a summer meadow. A musty, sour or earthy smell indicates mold formation or fermentation. Never feed hay like that, even if it looks okay on the outside. Also check the structure: the stems should not be crumbly or dusty. Break a handful of stems — they should be sturdy but not woody. Dust when shaking hay is a clear signal: your horse breathes in those particles, which can cause lung problems or aggravate existing respiratory issues.

Five signs of poor hay quality

• Brown or gray discoloration throughout the bale
• Musty, sour or moldy smell
• Lots of dust when shaking or unpacking
• Visible mold growth, white or black in color
• Presence of toxic plants such as ragwort

When is a laboratory analysis worthwhile?

A visual assessment gives you a first impression, but tells you nothing about sugar content (WSC), protein content or mineral ratios. An analysis is definitely worthwhile in these situations:

• Your horse has EMS, insulin resistance or laminitis — then a WSC under 10% is essential
• You consistently feed hay from one supplier and want to fine-tune the diet precisely
• Your horse is losing weight despite sufficient roughage
• You want to know if additional mineral supplements are needed
• You're buying a large batch and want to know what you're getting

How to request an analysis

Take a representative sample from multiple bales — probe at least ten bales with a hay probe and mix the samples. Send approximately 200 grams to a certified laboratory. In the Netherlands, Eurofins and Blgg are reliable addresses; costs are between 40 and 80 euros for a basic package. After a week you'll have results for dry matter, crude protein, crude fiber, sugars and energy value (VEM). Record the results in your horse's file in EquiSight, so your diet automatically stays up-to-date and you can compare results later.

Storage determines quality just as much

Hay that was good when purchased can quickly deteriorate with poor storage. Store bales on pallets or shelves, never directly on concrete floors — moisture otherwise wicks up from below. Ensure adequate ventilation and protection from rain and sun. You can cover it with a tarp, but make sure air circulation is possible. With round bales stored outdoors, you lose on average 10 to 30% of the feed value due to weather. Use older hay first and regularly check the inside of bales that have been stored for a while.

Track hay quality in EquiSight

In your horse's file, record the origin, cut date and any analysis results for each roughage batch. EquiCoach signals based on that data whether the current hay suits your horse's needs — and alerts you if something doesn't match. Also set a calendar reminder for when you start a new batch of hay, so you can send in a new sample on time or call a supplier.