Extra livery charges for soaking haynets (DIY)... WWYD?

[Sprig]

Why Vieshot?

 

[Sussexbythesea]

Metered water costs about 0.12p per litre so a 55litre tubtrug per day would cost about 6.6p a day to fill. This would equate to about 92p a week extra for soaking two large trugs of hay or £48 a year.

Seems bit unreasonable to focus on this the vast majority of water is probably being used through bathing and hosing off and knowing most yards constantly overfilling troughs and leaks. These costs should be calculated across the whole business instead of having silly tantrums about it. Perhaps each person should have their stable lightybulb metered and charged depending on how long they have lights on

 

[zaminda]

Could you ask other liveries to empty their old water into your soaking water to reduce use, alongside emptying your (now larger) water bucket into it? Also not sure why you are rinsing post soaking?
I'd look to work around it rather than upsetting her, however not sure why she doesn't like soaking, so it might be worth discussing it with her.
I'd get the hay analysed, and tell her you were advised by a nutritionist to soak it, as long as you can reduce the water you are using.

 

[vieshot]

Why Vieshot?

Perhaps just my ignorance as I have never had to muzzle any of mine but surely then miss out on a lot of things by being muzzled all the time? A good mutual groom? A decent yawn? A good nose scratch etc.

As I say I've never used one but didn't think they were meant to be a permanent fixture?

 

[little_critter]

I believe you are supposed to rinse after soaking because all the sugar that was in the hay is now in the soaking water. If you don't rinse it off then you are feeding hay with a light sugary dressing.

 

[Polos Mum]

Perhaps just my ignorance as I have never had to muzzle any of mine but surely then miss out on a lot of things by being muzzled all the time? A good mutual groom? A decent yawn? A good nose scratch etc.

As I say I've never used one but didn't think they were meant to be a permanent fixture?

Lots of anichdotal (sp) evidence that if you only muzzle for part of the time they will eat more in the time the muzzle is off (scoffing in a starving way!) that they would if you didn't muzzle at all - clearly different here if the OP is giving limited volumes of soaked hay in a stable when muzzle is off.

But people who muzzle for 8/10 hours while out 24/7 are really wasting their time.
taking them off for an hour a day to ride and check fitting etc. is clearly good practice but on 23 hours a day from March to November is pretty typical in my experience

 

[vieshot]

Lots of anichdotal (sp) evidence that if you only muzzle for part of the time they will eat more in the time the muzzle is off (scoffing in a starving way!) that they would if you didn't muzzle at all - clearly different here if the OP is giving limited volumes of soaked hay in a stable when muzzle is off.

But people who muzzle for 8/10 hours while out 24/7 are really wasting their time.
taking them off for an hour a day to ride and check fitting etc. is clearly good practice but on 23 hours a day from March to November is pretty typical in my experience

Well that's interesting. You learn something new everyday huh.

 

[LovesCobs]

I've not read all the relplies yet, but I moved to my own place last summer. My water bill (metred) for the house snd land, water for horses etc is less than £10 more a month than I was paying before (without the horses at home) I soaked hay all autumn and it wasn't significantly different (for 4 horses/ ponies) if I was you I would ask her for a copy of the water bill (in order to help) so u can see how much per unit she pays (she doesn't have to show in the amount she's paid just the bit that has the charges per unit) then work out how many units you use a week to soak hay and pay her. You may find its not much but settles the issue. I used to use the left over drinking water bit we were told off (at the last yard I was at) for changing that every day as well. You may find you only use about £5 per month of water. Worth a look into

 

[Mongoose11]

I agree, muzzling for the whole day and in at night works or muzzling five days out of seven works. Muzzling for a few hours a day isn't going to do a great deal!

 

[fuze]

its best to have a fatty out on poorish grazing than sitting using no calories in a stable.....

My thoughts exactly.

What about investing in the small holed nets that are around? You could reduce the amount of forage he eats, if it took him longer to eat it

He's the master of trickle / triple netting. He'll empty them in next to no time

But your YO doesn't need to know that your horse doesn't drink much. It's fair usage to allow a fresh decent size bucket/trug for overnight, so using this leftover (which would be quite a bit, if he doesn't drink much) to soak would then 'solve' the problem?

Good point... I'll try speaking to her about recycling drinking water.

Metered water costs about 0.12p per litre so a 55litre tubtrug per day would cost about 6.6p a day to fill. This would equate to about 92p a week extra for soaking two large trugs of hay or £48 a year.

Seems bit unreasonable to focus on this the vast majority of water is probably being used through bathing and hosing off and knowing most yards constantly overfilling troughs and leaks. These costs should be calculated across the whole business instead of having silly tantrums about it. Perhaps each person should have their stable lightybulb metered and charged depending on how long they have lights on

Interesting figures... got to admit, I had no idea how much that amount of water costs. Maybe I'll hold out and see how much she tacks onto next month's bill.

Also not sure why you are rinsing post soaking?

I've always been told that hay needs rinsing out after soaking? As someone else said, something to do with rinsing the sugars off?

I agree, muzzling for the whole day and in at night works or muzzling five days out of seven works. Muzzling for a few hours a day isn't going to do a great deal!

The 5 days out of 7 might be worth looking into to cut down on stabling come summer... they're not being kicked out for summer for another 6-8 weeks though.

 

[unbalanced]

I've always been told that hay needs rinsing out after soaking? As someone else said, something to do with rinsing the sugars off?

It is covered in the nasty alcoholic sugary fermented soaking water. I have been told that water is more toxic than sewage, which I am not sure if that's true, but I am always careful about how I dispose of the water. In any case, there is no way I would ingest the water, and there is no way I would like my horse to eat hay covered in it. It is sugary and it is fermenting into alcohol, leading to digestive upset. If my horse doesn't get her hay washed when it is being soaked she goes footy within twenty-four hours.

 

[Ali2]

I soak hay daily and use the water in the buckets from my stable. They need to be changed anyway so rather than tipping them down the drain I pour them in my soaking bucket. Could you offer to do this to help reduce water usage? I can understand you not being happy about it, tbh water costs should be built into your livery in the beginning.

We do this too and top up with rain water.

Would YO consider setting up rainwater butts - would save metered water being used for soaking and leg washing - this is what happens on our yard.