Hay Matters: Understanding Your Horse’s Forage

Featuring Michael Graham, MU Extension Field Specialist in Livestock

Hay is the cornerstone of nearly every horse’s diet—yet it’s also one of the most misunderstood. From debates over first versus second cutting to uncertainty around nutritional value, many horse owners are left making critical feeding decisions with incomplete information.

Why Hay Deserves More Attention

Forage is not just filler—it drives digestive health, weight management, performance, and long-term soundness. The quality, type, and maturity of hay can dramatically affect how a horse utilizes nutrients, yet many owners rely on assumptions or tradition rather than data.

This session will explore:

• Common types of hay used in equine diets
• Nutritional differences between grass, legume, and mixed hays
• What hay cutting really tells us—and why “best” depends on the horse
• How hay testing works and when it’s worth doing

The goal is not to prescribe a single answer, but to give horse owners and barn managers the tools to make better, more informed feeding decisions.

About the Speaker: Michael Graham

The presentation will be led by Michael Graham, Field Specialist in Livestock with University of Missouri Extension in St. Francois County.

Michael’s background is deeply rooted in agricultural education and hands-on experience. He was a high school agriculture teacher for 25 years and was born and raised on a working commercial cattle farm in southern St. Francois County. His work today focuses on helping livestock owners understand how research, technology, and practical management can be applied to real-world operations.

Who Should Attend

This presentation is ideal for:

• Horse owners managing one or multiple horses
• Barn managers and boarding facility operators
• Riders interested in improving health, performance, or weight management
• Anyone wanting to better understand what they’re feeding—and why

The information shared will apply across ages, workloads, and disciplines, with a focus on practical use rather than theory alone.

Links

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Join us for this informative session and take the guesswork out of forage.