Types of hay

[LittleRedMare]

So, I'm looking for a new hay supplier. We found some nice green stuff and brought home ten bales to try. The hay is nice and green, it smells sweet and there is no dust, but it doesn't look like any hay I've ever seen. It looks like baled grass with no stem-y bits or seed heads like the hay we usually get (timothy). The blades are quite fine and rather soft and some of it is a greeny-brown colour. My horses love it and eat every blade but I'm not sure whether it is suitable horse hay or not. My mom picked it up and never asked what exactly it was. Does it sound familiar to anyone? I'd take pictures but I've lost the cable to hook it up to my computer.

[WashingtonBay]

Sounds like Second-cutting Orchard grass or Timothy. Usually the stuff we see, only first cutting has seed heads.

Like this?:

[LittleRedMare]

It does look similar to that. I just can't get over how soft it is. I've been googling and I think it might be orchard grass. I do know that it is second cut. From what I've read orchard grass is a suitable horse feed, yes?

[WashingtonBay]

Very good horse hay... It's what I feed all of mine (that's mine in the picture :))

[vicklynn]

Sounds like the Blue Grass we have down here.

[LittleRedMare]

Oh good, guess I better get the rest of the bales before somebody else does :) Thanks for the help.

[SedonaThunder]

The best analogy I've heard for orchard grass (which I also feed) is "easter bunny grass". It truly does look similar to what we got in our easter baskets as kids... it is a brighter green (sometimes with a blue tinge if it Kentucky Blue or if it's been highly sprayed) and it's got flat, soft blades.

[jerseypacer]

Im with WB, sounds like orchard grass. That's what I buy all the time, my guys love it. They walk away from timothy and go for the soft grass stuff! I had to return 50 bales of timothy a few weeks agi because they wouldnt eat it. Spoiled brats! Fortunately my hay guy took it all back and we exchangd it for orchard grass. Everyone's happy again! (cept hubby who had to load and unload all that hay--twice!)

[Buckpoco]

Sounds exactly like what we get in NY. It's orchard grass/timothy and it's the second cut. Our horses are crazy about it. They just get that and a tiny bit of low carb grain and do very well. It smells soooo good, doesn't it?