Mixing hay and straw and soaking both together?

[Lina2023]

Hi,

I’m currently soaking hay (on vet’s advice) for my Connie who is slightly cresty to get her into better shape for summer.

I’d like to mix with straw (barley) to make sure that she isn’t left without at any point during the day/night as she’s pretty much emptying the nets.

Can I mix and soak both together rather than reopen a wet net? Or should I soak the hay and then add the straw?

Thanks

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I wouldn't soak the straw. When my Draft mare needed restricted hay, I gave her big trugs of oat straw chaff ( Halley's or Honeychop) to supplement her hay ration.

 

[meesha]

I wouldnt soak straw, in my head it would go tough and chewy possibly increasing possibility of compaction colic.

2 separate nets? I unsoaked straw, 1 soaked hay...or just more soaked hay to make life easy.

I would give a supplement or mineral lick as u could be soaking all nutrients out of the hay.

 

[Lina2023]

She has a salt lick and a balancer with a little molasses-free chaff. I’ll avoid soaking the straw! Thanks

 

[Widgeon]

I didn't soak straw either, I let the soaked hay drain and dry a bit then I piled it into the feeder on top of a load of clean straw. (Straw at the bottom because horse says it's only worth considering once he's really hungry). I did initially try mixing it together but horse is not daft and he just picked the hay out and ate it first. So I stopped wasting the effort!

 

[Goldenstar]

I would not soak straw .

 

[rabatsa]

I would not soak the straw. I would give straw in nets 24/7 and give a small net of soaked hay twice a day. Once the hay is eaten the straw is there to take away the hunger pangs.