Most horse owners know to look for clean, leafy hay. Some look for low sugar, low starch, or high fiber. But very few realize something far more important:
Every bale has a story – and at Anderson Hay, we track that story from the field all the way to your feed room.
For horse owners, rescues, trainers, and anyone who depends on safe, consistent forage: traceability isn't a luxury. It's protection. It's peace of mind. And it's the foundation of true nutritional consistency.
Why Traceability Matters More Than Most Horse Owners Realize
Most hay companies simply cut, bale, and sell hay. There may be minimal field testing, but rarely more than that. If something goes wrong – a metabolic flare, a horse loses weight, a toxic weed issue, or nitrate concerns – there's almost no way to trace the problem back to where it started.
Anderson Hay does the opposite. We document every step, test every stack, and maintain a complete chain of custody for every bale that leaves our farms and facilities.
It All Begins in the Field: Care, Records, and Stewardship
Before a single bale is made, each field is evaluated and recorded:
- Crop history (previous plantings, years in production)
- Watering schedules and total irrigation
- Fertilizer or soil treatments used
- Any spray activity – including neighboring fields
- Stage of growth and readiness for cutting
This level of documentation matters. Sprays, soil conditions, water stress, and plant maturity all affect nutrition, safety, and the needs of horses – especially metabolic or senior horses.
Testing Every Stack – No Exceptions
Once hay is baled and stacked, every stack is cored, tested, and assigned a serial number. This includes even our Certified Straw.
Test results are stored in our system along with:
- Harvest date
- Stack location
- Nutritional profile and NSC
- Moisture levels
- Any special notes related to quality or storage
This ensures that every customer – from the racetrack to the family farm – receives consistent hay every time.
Why Consistency Matters (Especially for Older & Metabolic Horses)
Horses with Cushing's, insulin resistance, PSSM, or other metabolic challenges depend on nutrition that doesn't fluctuate wildly from bale to bale.
Because every stack is fully documented and tested, we're able to help match customers – including rescues like Oregon Horsemanship – with hay tailored to their horses' needs.
Consistency isn't just a nice-to-have. It protects horses.
Tracking Every Movement – From Storage to Pressing to Delivery
Traceability doesn't stop when hay is stacked.
We continue tracking through the entire supply chain:
- When it's pulled from storage
- When it's pressed into compact bales (if applicable)
- Moisture checks at the plant
- Truck and transport details
- Retailer delivery
That same serial number follows the hay through every stage. If a customer ever has a question, we can pull up the entire history immediately – from field to feed room.
How Traceability Protects Your Horse
Traceability gives horse owners:
- Consistency – predictable nutrition bale after bale
- Confidence – nothing hidden or unknown
- Safety – complete transparency about sprays, field conditions, or neighboring activity
- Custom support – our nutrition team can help match hay to metabolic needs
And this applies whether you're feeding two bales at home or a full barn of performance horses.
Real-World Example: The Teff Hay Problem
Teff hay has become popular for metabolic horses because it's naturally low in NSC. But Teff is finicky to grow. If not harvested correctly or if it becomes stressed, it can become dangerously high in nitrates – something most horse owners never test for.
This has resulted in vet emergencies, kidney stress, and even fatalities across the country.
This is why Anderson Hay tests every stack, every time.
Why Anderson Hay Invests So Much in Quality
Because your horse's hay shouldn't be a mystery.
By controlling every step – from farming partners to harvesting to testing to shipping – we deliver hay trusted by:
- Olympic riders
- Racehorses around the world
- Veterinarians and nutritionists
- Therapeutic riding centers
- Rescues like Oregon Horsemanship
The Bottom Line for Horse Owners
No matter where you buy it – a feed store, a vet clinic, or a retail partner – every bale of Anderson Hay comes with a documented history. That means:
- Better consistency
- Better confidence
- Better nutrition
- Better outcomes for horses
Find Anderson Hay Near You
Want to feed your horses hay you can trust? Click here to find Anderson Hay near you.
