Hay soaking to reduce sugars

[Pebble101]

My friend was told by a nutritionist that soaking for more than 40 minutes means sugars start going back into the hay. I disagree with this but would welcome any other views or pointing towards research that supports this view.

 

[hollyandivy123]

My friend was told by a nutritionist that soaking for more than 40 minutes means sugars start going back into the hay. I disagree with this but would welcome any other views or pointing towards research that supports this view.

the important thing is to rinse the hay after soaking, if you have access to hot water i find it best to use this to soak as it is a bit like making tea, you can soak it quicker for the same amount of sugar to come out, this also means you do not leave it festering for a long time on a hot day.

 

[windand rain]

It does after a while but if you wash it well afterwards then it does come off again thing is the majority of people I have seen soak hay either just hang it up or if using a hay soaker pull the plug out and the horses dig into the sugar coated hay.

 

[Pebble101]

I don't understand why sugars would go back into the hay once it has reached a state of equilibrium with the water. I can understand why you would rinse it, but the sugars you are rinsing off are not in the hay but outside it.

 

[PurBee]

There’s still a reduction of sugars than not soaking at all.

If the hay soaked up the sugars, the water would be clear again - and it’s not.

Ive soaked in hottish water from my home cistern and after 5 mins the water is reddish...i agitate the net a few times in the water....push down , pull up, a few times - then pull out and rinse. But rinsing isnt necessary...i mainly rinse on cold nights with hot water as they love the warmth and smell of the hay!

 

[ycbm]

I don't understand why sugars would go back into the hay once it has reached a state of equilibrium with the water. I can understand why you would rinse it, but the sugars you are rinsing off are not in the hay but outside it.

I'm sure that's rubbish. In chemistry at school I learned that the sugars will come out into the water until the amount in the water and in the hay are the same. So if you want more out, use more water, and wash off the sugary water before feeding.

I have read that 40 minutes is all you need to do, but I have tasted the water at 40 minutes and 3 hours and at my normal overnight soak and the longer it soaks the sweeter the water is. I have also known of horses with serious metabolic issues who need it soaked twice with a water change.
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[windand rain]

It is because it sticks to the surface of the hay it doesnt go back into the hay but coats it in sugar just as if you put a sponge into water it soakes it up

 

[hollyandivy123]

not hay but here is good graph to demonstrate of temp and the effect on simple sugar

https://www.facebook.com/TheLaminitisSite/

 

[Micky]

Maybe the sugar does stick to the hay but the outcome of most of the sugars being drained from the hay outweigh the result..if this was the case, my horse wouldn’t have have lost so much weight and maintain a good weight over the last 7 years or so, he’s ppid so ....I’ve done soaking overnight, soaking for few hours, you name it, the result has been the same. I don’t rate nutritionists, (knowing one myself a few years ago)who poo pooed what they get taught! If we listened to them, all our horses would be majorly obese never mind costing us more in feed!

 

[SEL]

If you want to test the reabsorbed 'theory' then leave a teabag in a mug of cold water for a few hours. Then take it out and try and make a fresh cup of tea from it. The tea leaves will definitely not have reabsorbed any of the flavours they have leached out - even if you add sugar into the first lot of water you won't get a cup of sweet tea in your second mug.

ps - don't really recommend trying. Tastes grim!

 

[windand rain]

By that theory if you put a potato into cold water then added beetroot juice 24 hours later the potato would come out white still it doesnt it comes out with a red surface to a small depth