Alfalfa Hay for Horses

Alfalfa Hay for Horses

Medicago Stavia, better known as alfalfa or lucerne is in the same plant family as peas, beans and clover. Below are a few reasons why alfalfa is still used for horses today.

The fibre in alfalfa gives your horse slow release energy which they can use for maintenance, work or putting on weight.

Alfalfa has a very low content of both starch and water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) such as sugars and fructan.

Protein has historically been thought to be the cause of all evil in horses but research has shown that this is not the case and in fact, high starch or sugar diets are culprits. Protein is made up of building blocks called amino acids and these are converted into tissues such as muscle. Feeding alfalfa is a safe way to build muscle tone.

Alfalfa is rich in beta carotene which is converted to vitamin A in the body. It also contains vitamin E and the B vitamins Thiamin, Riboflavin, Pantothenic acid, Biotin and Folic Acid. Alfalfa contains valuable levels of the trace mineral cobalt that enables the horse to synthesize vitamin B12 which is involved in iron absorption and utilization.