Our friends at the University of Minnesota Extension have created a great guide to questions you should be asking when buying hay. Equine expert Krishona Martinson, PhD, offers some helpful suggestions below:

Q: What questions should I ask when buying horse hay?
A: Here are some questions horse owners should ask when purchasing hay:

1. Have you sold to horse owners before or do you specialize in horse hay?
2. What is the average weight of the bales? This is very important if buying hay by the bale.
3. How mature is the hay? Maturity is the main driver of forage quality.
4. What species are present in the hay? Legumes and grasses have different nutrient values.
5. Where was the hay harvested? Rule out ditch hay.
6. Was the hay rained on? Rained on hay is a good choice for horses with metabolic problems; it tends to be lower in nonstructural carbohydrates.
7. Was the hay stored inside or under cover after baling? Hay stored inside or under cover has less storage loss.
8. Was the hay field fertilized and/or sprayed for weeds? Show good management and likely a better quality product.
9. What are the payment options?
10. Is delivery available and if so, what is the cost?
11. What is the price? Is there a price break for volume or cash?
12. Is assistance available with onsite handling and stacking of hay, and if so, at what cost?
13. How much hay do you have/bale each year? Helps ensure a consistent supply of hay.

This article is reprinted with permission from Krishona Martinson, University of Minnesota. This and other horse nutrition articles can be found at http://www.extension.umn.edu/agriculture/horse/nutrition/.