Haylage

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HannahKins

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Hi everyone, was wondering if I could get some opinions on something I'm worried about.

I've got an old pony (19) who's very prone to laminitis and who recently has been diagnosed with asthma and has an allergy towards hay and straw. As a result he's moved from a straw bed to medi-bed in his stable (to keep the yard owner happy), but he now can't be in the same field with the other horses in winter as everyone else uses hay bales in the field. The vet told me to swap hay to haylage which has been soaked for around 24 hours to improve my pony's respitory system. However, I'm now worried that moving him onto haylage may start his laminitis up again.
Am I just being over-careful with my old pony or should I be questioning the vet's advise?
Any help would be great thanks xx
 
Soak haylage for 24hrs? Are you sure you didn't get in a muddle and he didn't advise soaking hay for 24hrs OR feeding haylage?

Soaking hay removes alot of the sugars and so I guess it probably will with haylage too, but I've never heard of anyone being advised to soak it before?!
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See that's what I first thought and I asked him again and he said soak the haylage. He first suggested to steam it but upon realising that the insurance wont cover to buy a steamer he told me to soak it for 24 hours. I know there are the hi-fibre haylage bales you can buy but still not too sure about going on to haylage if he's prone to laminitis?
 
Seems very odd. You are at liberty to ignore his advice and give hay soaked for 24 hours if you wish.
 
Thanks everyone, I'll give the vets a call in the morning and ask for a second opinion. Will let you all know what the outcome is on that one!
 
We feed the laminitics at our yard hayledge, but we are very careful of the quantities and it is double netted.
If in doubt I would just give him soaked hay
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Someone on our yard soaks haylege by the advice of her vet, for the same reason, so it must be ok however it has always seamed odd to me.
 
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