As we're talking about dampening feeds...

[Paint it Lucky]

I was reading a horse book (on feeding) at college once that said you should always soak pony nuts/ cubes before feeding becasue they are so compressed and dry, so if you don't they can swell up to three times their original volume in then stomach and so greatly increase the risk of colic.

And yet I know loads of people who feed dry nuts and their horses have no visible problems. What do you think? I think it was quite an old book and not sure it had any scientific backing. But what it says does make sense as nuts do noticably swell when wet.

 

[Jemayni]

They swell, but then disintegrate, so therefore rapidly become a smaller size than the original & should consequently not increase colic risk? Sugar beet swells but stays in shredded form until digested

 

[JessPickle]

Well we soak pony nuts for the oldies at the yard (they find hard food harder to eat!) and they do certainly swell up a lot. But have always been lead to believe they dont swell much when digested

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

I always do what they say on the bag regarding how to feed it. The feed I use says to soak well so I do, I can't see why people want to feed the compounds any differently than the makers say?

 

[darksecret99]

I always wet my horses feeds but thats because I have seen a horse get choke from scoffing feed mixed with dry chaff... it all just got stuck in his throat and wouldnt go down... he had to be sedated and have it all washed out via a tube up his nose... not nice!!!

So I'd rather wet my horses feed, even if it is unnessecary, than risk that (and the vets bills!)!

Would probs do the same if feeding large quantities of dry nuts/cubes too, not so much to avoid swelling, but to avoid the possibility of choke....

 

[Petrie]

I feed nuts and I don't soak them as such but I do feed them really quite wet. I mixed them up with sugar beet, chaff, and extra water.

I do this because I discovered by chance that my very fussy eater will only eat his feed if it's been mixed up with lots of water! I also think it helps to prevent choke.

I think it's more natural for them, grass is mostly water after all. And it's also good for rehydrating them.

I used to feed Calm and Condition, which has 'feed with chaff and plenty of water' emblazened all over the packaging, and now they're on bog standard nuts, I've just carried on with it.

 

[TGM]

I soak nuts but more out of concern about choking rather than colic. My mare once had mild choke when fed dry nuts so I don't take any chances now and soak them into a mash.