Hay varieties explained.

Learn what hay to feed your horse with this complete guide. Compare meadow, oaten, wheaten, teff, and lucerne (alfalfa) hay to choose the best option for health, performance, and weight management.

Choosing the right hay is one of the most important decisions in horse nutrition. Different hay types provide varying levels of energy, protein, fibre, and digestibility, all of which directly affect your horse’s health, behaviour, and performance.

This guide explains the most common hay varieties: meadow, oaten, wheaten, teff, and lucerne (alfalfa) and helps you decide which is best for your horse.

Why choosing the right hay matters

Hay is the foundation of a horse’s diet and plays a critical role in:

Digestive health and gut function
Energy levels and performance
Weight maintenance
Muscle development and recovery

Feeding the wrong type of hay can lead to weight gain, poor condition, or nutritional imbalance.

Meadow hay (mixed grass hay)

Best for: Leisure horses, maintenance diets, easy keepers

Meadow hay is a natural mix of grasses and is one of the most commonly fed hay types.

Benefits:

Moderate to low energy
High fibre content
Suitable for most horses
Encourages natural chewing behaviour

When to use:

Ideal for horses in light work or those needing a controlled energy diet.

Oaten hay

Best for: Performance horses needing moderate energy

Oaten hay is cut from immature oat stalks, harvested before the oats have grown on the stalks.

Benefits:

Higher energy than meadow hay
Very palatable
Good fibre source

When to use:

Suitable for horses in light to moderate work requiring additional energy. Generally not suitable for horses that suffer from gastric ulcers as stalks can contain oats if not harvested early enough (ulcer-prone horses are best on grain-free diets).

For some horses, oaten hay can result in excess energy so might not be the best choice for ‘hot’ horse.

Wheaten hay

Best for: Horses needing bulk fibre and moderate nutrition without too much energy.

Like oaten hay, wheaten hay comes from crops harvested before full grain formation.

Benefits:

Good fibre content
Moderate energy
Often cost-effective

When to use:

Good for general maintenance and horses needing steady fibre intake without excess energy. Wheaten hay is a more fattening option than meadow hay but with less energy than oaten hay making it a good compromise between the two.

Teff hay

Best for: Metabolic horses, laminitis-prone horses, low sugar diets.

Teff hay is a warm-season grass known for its fine texture and low sugar content.

Benefits:

Low sugar and starch
Highly digestible fibre
Supports weight management
Suitable for sensitive horses

When to use:

Best for horses requiring controlled carbohydrate intake or metabolic support.

Lucerne (Alfalfa) hay

Best for: Performance horses, growing horses, lactating mares.

Lucerne (alfalfa) is a high-protein legume hay.

Benefits:

High protein and energy
Rich in calcium
Supports muscle growth and recovery
Helps weight gain

When to use:

Ideal for performance horses or those needing extra condition and strength. Lucerne is often fed in conjunction with another type of hay (ie meadow hay) to add protein.