Food For Thought Horse Series-Lucerne (Alfalfa) For Horses:

Lucerne and Horses-What Owners Need To Know:

Food For Thought Series: Lucerne (Alfalfa) For Horses

Lucerne, also known as Alfalfa, is commonly fed to horses and often promoted as a highly nutritious forage. While some horses tolerate it well, many horses do not actually need it, and some clearly react poorly to it.

For most horses, a simple grass and hay-based forage system is far closer to what their digestive system evolved to handle.

What Is Lucerne?

• Lucerne (Medicago sativa) is a legume, not a grass

• It belongs to the same plant family as clover and peas

• It is naturally much higher in protein and calcium than grass

• It also contains biologically active plant compounds such as saponins and phytoestrogens

• Because of this, Lucerne is significantly richer than the grasses horses evolved to graze

How Lucerne Is Fed To Horses:

Lucerne appears in many forms, including:

• Lucerne hay

• Lucerne chaff

• Lucerne pellets or cubes

• Lucerne meal used in feeds and supplements

• Wrapped lucerne forage is sold in smaller bales from stores for convenience

Because lucerne is used in so many products, horses may still be eating it even when owners believe they have removed it from the diet.

How Lucerne Is Produced:

Modern lucerne crops are often produced in intensive agricultural systems.

• Lucerne has been selectively bred for higher yields and nutrient density

• Some countries grow genetically modified alfalfa varieties

• Crops may be grown using fertilisers, herbicides or pesticides, depending on the farming system

Key Compounds In Lucerne:

Lucerne contains several compounds that can influence how horses respond to it.

• High protein levels

• Very high calcium levels

• Saponins

• Phytoestrogens (plant-based oestrogen-like compounds)

While these compounds are natural, they can affect horses differently depending on the individual.

Why Many Horses Do Not Need Lucerne:

• Most horses already receive enough protein from grass and hay

• Horses evolved to eat moderate nutrient grasses and mixed plants

• Lucerne is a much richer forage than most horses require

• For many leisure horses, grass and good-quality hay already provide adequate nutrition

Potential Issues Some Horses Experience:

While some horses tolerate lucerne well, others appear sensitive to it.

Possible issues reported include:

• Excitable or reactive behaviour

• Skin irritation or itching

• Coat changes or scurf

• Allergic-type reactions

• Digestive disturbances

• Inflammatory responses

Some horses appear to react even when only small amounts of lucerne are present in the diet.

Behavioural Sensitivity In Some Horses:

In practice, we sometimes see horses become noticeably reactive when lucerne is introduced into the diet.

These horses may appear:

• highly alert or jumpy

• easily startled

• tense or anxious

• wide-eyed with flared nostrils

Some develop exaggerated startle responses where they suddenly leap, rush forward or react dramatically to minor stimuli.

While not every horse reacts this way, many experienced horse owners have observed it. When this type of sensitivity appears, removing lucerne from the diet is often one of the first things worth trialling.

Hidden Lucerne In Feeds:

Lucerne meal is commonly used in commercial horse feeds and supplements.

• This means horses may still be consuming lucerne without the owner realising

• Checking ingredient lists can be important for horses that appear sensitive to lucerne

Final Recommendation:

• Lucerne is not an essential forage for most horses

• Many horses thrive on grass and good-quality hay alone

• If your horse shows signs of sensitivity such as itching, excitability, digestive upset or inflammation, removing lucerne from the diet can be a useful first step

For many horses, a forage-first approach built around low sugar grass (not farming pastures) and well-made mixed meadow hay provides a simpler and more species-appropriate nutritional foundation.

If you would like to understand horse feeds in more detail and talk through which approach may be better suited to your horse, I offer Feed & Forage Guidance Consultations here: https://www.naturalhorse.co.nz/product-page/natural-horse-feed-forage-consultation