Is there any benefit to feeding pellets over hay? I am currently feeding bermuda grass in hay form. However, I have always been curious as to whether pellets are better for horses. If yes, can you take a horse that has been eating hay and switch to pellets or will there be complications? Should I do a 50/50 split i.e. hay in the morning and pellets in the evening?
Hay is not all my horses get, they get vitamin supplements etc. Just curious about the hay part.

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Hi Tammy,

I am not certain if you are referring to “Hay pellets” or “pelleted concentrated feeds.” Hay pellets are good for horses that are unable to chew well, such as an old horse who has poor teeth. And, they also can be used for mixing supplements for a meal.

If you are referring to a pelleted feed, this is a concentrate and can be a mixture of grains, legumes, and other feedstuffs, depending on the product.

So, perhaps you can be a little more specific – then I’ll be better able to answer your question.

Dr. Getty

I wonder if by "pellets" they may mean alfalfa cubes or pellets. From what I've read on the bags and their labels, the pellets are made from the leaves of the alalfa plant while the CUBES are the waste product, made from the stalks left over after the alfalfa PELLETS are made from the good stuff.

Hi Norah,

Actually, the cubes and pellets are both good. Cubes are made from alfalfa that has been chopped and dried before being formed into cubes. Pellets are done the same way, except they are smaller and do contain more of the leaves. So, the fiber content of cubes is slightly higher, it’s true, and is therefore, closer to the content of alfalfa hay. But, cubes are not made just form the stalks – the whole plant is used.

Thanks for writing!

All the best,

Dr. Getty