Chaff is chopped dried forage — typically oat straw, hay, or a blend of both — that is fed to horses as a roughage source and feed extender. It has been a staple of equine feeding management for centuries, valued for its ability to add bulk to a ration, slow down eating, and support healthy gut function. Modern chaff products have evolved significantly from the loose barn sweepings of years past; today you will find dust-extracted, molassed, hi-fibre, and alfalfa-based chaffs designed for every horse type from the grass-fed native pony to the elite competition horse.
What Chaff Is Made From
Traditional chaff is chopped oat straw, sometimes blended with meadow hay or ryegrass hay. The chopping process produces short strands — typically one to five centimetres in length — that are easier for horses to chew and swallow than long-stemmed forage. Modern commercial chaffs may also include:
- Alfalfa (lucerne) — higher in protein and calcium, often used for horses in hard work or those needing extra condition
- Dried grass — a more palatable, energy-rich option suitable for good doers who need forage bulk without excess starch
- Herbal blends — containing calming herbs, joint-supportive botanicals, or digestive aids
- Molassed chaff — lightly coated with molasses to improve palatability, though this adds sugar and is not suitable for laminitics or insulin-resistant horses
The Role of Chaff in a Horse’s Diet
Horses are trickle feeders by nature, designed to spend up to eighteen hours a day grazing. Stabling and intensive management disrupt this, often leading to horses consuming their meals too quickly — a behaviour linked to gastric ulcers, colic, and stereotypies such as crib-biting. Adding chaff to hard feed slows the eating rate and increases chewing time, which in turn stimulates saliva production. Saliva is alkaline and acts as a natural buffer against stomach acid, making chaff a genuinely useful tool in ulcer management and prevention.
Chaff also adds structural fibre to the diet, which supports the microbial population in the hindgut and helps maintain healthy digestive motility. For horses receiving large amounts of hard feed, chaff acts as a diluent — reducing the starch and sugar load per mouthful and making the overall ration safer for metabolically sensitive animals.
Choosing the Right Chaff
The chaff you choose should reflect your horse’s workload, body condition, and health status. A few practical guidelines:
- Good doers and laminitics: Choose a low-sugar, low-starch straw-based chaff. Avoid alfalfa and molassed options.
- Horses in hard work: Alfalfa chaff provides useful protein and energy. The higher calcium content is beneficial for horses prone to tying up.
- Horses with gastric ulcers: Alfalfa chaff has been shown in studies to have a buffering effect on stomach acid. Feed a small amount before exercise.
- Elderly horses with dental issues: A short-chop, well-moistened chaff is easier to manage than long-stemmed hay. Soaking removes dust and softens the fibres further.
Always check the nutritional analysis on the bag and factor chaff into your horse’s overall forage and calorie intake — it is not a neutral carrier and does contribute to the diet.
Chaff vs. Hay
Chaff does not replace hay or haylage as the primary forage source. The long-stem fibre in good quality hay is essential for maintaining the horse’s digestive health and for keeping it occupied and content in the stable. Chaff supplements the forage ration and enriches the bucket feed — it is not a substitute for the bulk roughage horses need across the course of a day.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much chaff should I feed my horse per day?
As a guide, a double handful (roughly 100–150g) mixed into each bucket feed is a good starting point for most horses. If you are using chaff as the main carrier for supplements or medication, up to half a kilogram per feed is reasonable. The key is consistency and not using it as a substitute for hay or haylage, which should form the bulk of your horse’s daily forage intake.
Is chaff suitable for a horse with laminitis?
Yes, if you choose the correct type. A dust-extracted, low-sugar, low-starch oat straw chaff is suitable for laminitics and those with equine metabolic syndrome. Avoid molassed chaffs and alfalfa-heavy blends, which have higher sugar and energy content. Always check the non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) percentage on the nutritional analysis — under 10% NSC is the general target for metabolically compromised horses.
Can I make my own chaff at home?
Traditionally, chaff was cut on farm using a chaff cutter — a hand-cranked or powered machine that chopped straw or hay into short pieces. Home chaff cutting is still possible but less common now that quality commercial products are widely available and competitively priced. If making your own, ensure the source forage is clean, dry, and mould-free, as dusty or mouldy chaff can cause serious respiratory problems, particularly conditions such as equine asthma.