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Can a horse live on hay only?

By Katherine Blocksdorf, About.com

Question: Can a horse live on hay only?

Many horses are fed exclusively on hay, but is this the best nutrition?

Answer:

Yes and no. Many people feed only hay to their horses. But hay, in the drying process looses some of its nutritional value. Most horses would benefit from even a small amount of grain concentrate that contains extra vitamins and minerals. Hay will not contain enough salt, so loose salt should be available to your horse. Many owners provide a mineral mix that horses can help themselves to at any time as well.

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