thorny hay

Question
hello ma'am, as i told you that we provide kancha breed hay to our thoroughbred racehorses. this breed of hay is light colored with long stem and has more thorns. would you personally suggest me to provide thorny breed hays to horses? doesnt it poke their cheeks while chewing?

Answer
Hi Rohit,

I would think that thorny stems of grass could cause problems for horses mouths if they can penetrate the gums.  But what seems thorny to us may not be a problem for the horse who has evolved to forage a variety of forage types.  If you see lesions developing on your horses gums, tongue and lips then its safe to say you have a problem and should look for another forage source.  But if the horses are consuming the hay without hesitation it is an indication that the hay is just fine.  Horses are fussy eaters, refusing food that doesn't suit them unless they are starving.  You can often let them be the judge.

Thanks, Corlena