Our high-energy  Haylage Elite is made from first-cut Ryegrass, grown locally on our fields in Yorkshire.  Ryegrass is a great grass option used to make haylage and hay for horses due to its high nutritional value and palatability. It’s typically higher in protein and fibre than other grasses, such as Timothy Hay.

Haylage Elite is designed for horses in moderate to high levels of work, including sports and competition horses. It’s also suitable for breeding stock, such as pregnant mares or those with a foal at foot, which have higher nutritional needs.

Typically, for horses in light work, we would recommend Haylage Low Energy, and for horses in moderate work, Haylage Complete is recommended (which is a step down nutritionally from our Haylage Elite). However, every horse is different with unique requirements, and you know your horse best, so these are only guidelines. If you’re looking for tailored nutritional advice about which of our haylage options is right for your horse, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our nutritionist, Briony. 

Yes, Haylage Elite is aimed at performance and competition horses. Its high energy and protein content means that it can support muscle development, recovery and overall calorie intake, helping to keep your competition horse in top condition. 

Produced in accordance with the BETA NOPS Code, our manufacturing process helps reduce the risk of contamination with naturally occurring prohibited substances, offering added reassurance for competition use.

Haylage Elite supports your horse’s muscle development by providing high levels of protein and energy, which are crucial for muscle growth, repair, and maintenance, especially in performance horses. Our Haylage Elite is made from our first-cut Ryegrass, so it’s nutrient-dense with a high leaf-to-stem ratio, resulting in much higher levels of protein than later cuts (our Haylage Complete and Haylage Low Energy options are both made from second-cut Ryegrass). A high-protein haylage helps to provide essential amino acids, which are the building blocks for new muscle tissue and facilitate muscle repair after exercise.

Yes, Ryegrass is known for being highly palatable, and because our Haylage Elite is made from first-cut Ryegrass, it’s nutrient-dense, making it more appealing to picky eaters. Our nutritionist recommends a ‘buffet’ approach for very picky eaters, where two or three different high-quality forages are provided. This mimics a horse’s natural foraging behaviours and can help increase their forage intake. 

Yes, Haylage Elite is a suitable forage option for breeding stock, including pregnant and lactating mares. It offers an ample amount of fibre, as well as high levels of energy and protein, which help meet the increased nutritional requirements of breeding stock. High protein is especially important for breeding stock as it helps to support the development of the foetus and milk production. Young horses and growing foals also typically have higher crude protein requirements than adult horses. 

Yes, Haylage Elite is suitable for poor doers. It offers high energy and protein from fibre sources, helping to increase calorie intake without an over-reliance on hard feed. It’s also highly palatable, making it a great option for poor doers who are also picky eaters. 

Haylage Elite contains higher levels of energy and protein compared to Haylage Complete. This makes it more suitable for competition horses or those in high levels of work, as well as those with higher nutritional needs, such as poor doers or breeding stock. 

Yes, Haylage Elite can help reduce the reliance on hard feed by providing high levels of protein and energy, and moderate levels of fibre, especially for poorer doers. Because it offers a higher level of energy than hay, it can help reduce your horse’s reliance on concentrated feeds, leading to a higher fibre, lower starch diet that promotes digestive health. Horses in high levels of work will likely still require some hard feed to meet their nutritional needs. Our nutritionist, Briony, will be happy to provide you with tailored advice to ensure that your horse or pony is receiving the correct nutrition. Get in touch with us today.