Why do horses eat hay?

Question from Jermaine York

Horses are herbivores and need to regularly eat small amounts of high-fibre vegetation. Their natural diet consists mainly of grass, as it contains most of the nutrients they need to stay healthy. However, when a field of luscious grass isn’t available, hay is the next best thing. Hay is dried grass that can be stored for when fresh grass isn’t available. Many horses will also be fed grains that make up for the nutrients hay can’t provide.


Answered by Jo Stass for Brain Dump in How It Works issue 117

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