Horse started dunking haylage in water!?

[Corona]

Do anyone else's horses do this? Only started doing it a few days ago, but will take a mouthful of haylage, carry it to the automatic water, dunk it and munch it. I know some peoples do do this, is it just a habit and he prefers it this way, or could it point to something else?

Thanks

 

[Booboos]

Might be worth checking his teeth just to make sure he is not having any difficulties chewing, but I have one who does it all the time. Seems to like it better that way!

 

[I love my Spanish horse]

A lot of ours do this, especially if the hay is a bit dry or dusty just seems to make it nicer for them. make a right mess when they do though

 

[algy666]

Mine does ... made a right mess of the stable so I had to move his water bucket closer tgo his haynet, gave him less distance to drool over

 

[angie1]

One of ours has done it for years. She likes 2 water buckets - 1 for dunking the haylage & one for drinking! Whoever said that Arabs don't have owners, they have staff was right!! Love her to bits though, so she can have whatever ......

 

[Toast]

We have one that does this too, makes a bloody mess, but if it makes her happy...
x

 

[GermanyJo]

to make you feel better I read somewhere the other day that it is a sign of an intelligent horse ... mine does it too so it gave me some hope

 

[FrodoBeutlin]

I so wish Frodo would do that! It would save me having to soak it and all

 

[beckieswann]

A horse at our yard does it, teeth fine, everything else fine... just one of those things I guess!

(he's definitely not an intelligent horse!!)

 

[CBAnglo]

One of mine does that - he wont eat hay if I have soaked it, he prefers to do it himself.

He also likes drinking the water after the hay has been soaked i.e. basically sewerage. Odd pony.

 

[MardyMare]

I am glad lots of others do it too

. My mare has done it since I got her. I have had everything checked. Dunks both hay and haylage even if I soak it first for her (so dont bother anymore). When I first got her she was had an automatic drinker and clogged it up and flooded her stable so has had a huge water tub instead ever since

 

[lensmith7]

Yep Josie does this. Her bed is always soaking, kept her amused on box rest though. Horrid dirty mare!

 

[GinaGem]

My last horse used to do this too with hay - made a right mess!!

 

[peanut]

I never give hay without a bucket of water as mine does it all the time too. She doesn't do it so much with haylage

 

[Corona]

Whilst I feel sorry for all of you that you have special horses too, im very glad im not alone! Must just be a preference then, as teeth etc are fine, and haylage really is excellent quality! He is very intelligent though, maybe this is it! x

 

[FestiveSpirit]

[ QUOTE ]
to make you feel better I read somewhere the other day that it is a sign of an intelligent horse ... mine does it too so it gave me some hope

[/ QUOTE ]

Really

Bob does this every night (well, saves me soaking his hay I suppose

) and when he was given an automatic waterer at my last yard I still had to put a trug of water in every night for him so he could carry on dunking

But intelligent....Bob....

 

[Coffee_Bean]

My horse does this with hay... so I soak it now

 

[reddie]

Mine started doing this last winter, mainly when he has been in for a few days. his teeth did need doing, but he carried on doing it after they had been sorted. Someone said they were less likely to get colic if they do this. Makes a mess of the stable though

 

[Emilybakes]

My horse is voted the muckiest horse on the yard!
He's got into the habbit of dunking, no matter what i do, ive tried taking the water away for half an hour, but he just wont eat the hay, if you soak it for him he wont eat it, his teeth are perfectly fine, He wets the full length of his bed and because of it goes through a bag of shavings a day.
I'd like to find a solution, if its to make him happy ill live with it. if its because of something else i'd like to know the reason.

Emily.