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large quantities of roughage. Hay can be broken down into two different types.

Meadow hay is a soft hay made from a permanent pasture. This means that the pasture was seeded for and is only used for growing hay. This type of hay typically contains a mixture of grasses. Meadow hay is usually low in protein. Seed hay is the other classification of hay. Seed hay is a harder, coarser hay than meadow hay. It is typically made from rye grass leys. These rye grass leys have a higher protein content than normal hay. Seed hay is coarser because it is cut later in the season, and this reduces digestibility. All hay must smell sweet and be mold free as well as greenish in color.

Silage is grass that's been cut the earliest out of hay and haylage, and then it is sealed in bags. Well made silage must reach a pH of 4.5 as quickly as possible and be at least twenty five percent dry-matter to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. Silage isn't always appropriate to feed horses because big-bale silage can contain undesirable pieces that can lead to botulism. Introducing silage needs to be done in cautious manner, starting will a little at a time until you know the effects that it will have. People feed silage because it is inexpensive. Also, silage doesn't have to be fed in large amounts for the horse the get the same amount of fiber that it would from hay. This makes silage cost effective and therefore people will feed it.

Haylage is a "compromise between hay and silage." (Brega 108) This occurs when grass is cut between the heading and the flowering stages. It is then left to partially dry, bailed, and then it is vacuumed packed into plastic bags. Haylage is very nutritious and highly palatable but it has to be used within three days of the bag being opened because once the bag is opened the haylage will start to deteriorate. (Brega 109)

Digestive Tract

In her book The horse Nutrition Bible, Ruth Bishop states "You are what you eat and so is your horse" (Bishop 7). While a balanced ration is important it's also important to understand how the horse's digestive tract works. This is vital because it's necessity to understand what each section of the digestive tract does in order to appreciate the importance of a balanced diet. The digestive tract as a whole accounts for about fifteen percent of the total weight of a horse when the horse is full. The digestive tract can be broken down into many different sections, the mouth, the stomach, the small intestine, and the large intestine.

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