ok this may create a bit of a debate but hay! literally lol

[alicep]

right my mare sometimes eats lots of hay a night and other nights only eats some of it and as im soaking it at the mo the stuff she leaves is wasted. the only reason i soak my hay i really caz the girl i stable with does and i know its generally better for them but really is there any problems with feeding it dry in a home made hay bar i.e. a water butt/barrel? she has no allergies to dust or anything and it would save soooo much waste.

What do you guys think?

 

[kerilli]

if she doesn't cough, and it's nice and clean, and you aren't going to be doing lots of fast work etc, i wouldn't bother soaking it.
do you give her the leftovers out in the field in the daytime? often they'll scoff it later on in the day...

 

[alicep]

we generally only hack and a bit of schooling when i can be bothered. we dont compete and really shes just a 'working pet'. we do do fast work ocassionally maybe once a week!

she doesnt get the left overs as she doesnt eat it. she in her own paddock and its very thick with grass.

 

[nicnag]

I fed mine from cut down barrells for years without any problems, their heads are down when they are eating meaning there is reduced dust intake straight away and as long as it's pretty good quality clean hay anyway it shouldn't cause any problems.

 

[Happytohack]

If the hay isn't dusty and she doesn't cough if it isn't soaked, then why soak it? I don't soak it for my lot.

 

[Morrigan_Lady]

I cant see any harm feeding her dry hay. If she does start to cough, soak it again.

Arch has always been on dry hay, until he started competing every weekend.

 

[flowerlady]

Most people only soak hay if their horse has an allergy. Give it dry if yours hasn't.

 

[Stacie_and_Jed]

I only soak my hay as it has a lot of dust. I dont soak it really just give it a hose down for 5-10 mins.

If she doesnt cough and the hay is clean and good quality dont soak it.

 

[ecrozier]

I don't soak my hay and my horse competes most weekends, he is pretty fit and works reasonably hard 5 days a week. Our hay isn't dusty though and is lovely and soft. He eats it off the floor, never caused any problems! I do want a hay bar though, to save the wastage as like the OP's horse he eats more some nights than others!

 

[1275gta]

The reason she dowsn't always eat it all could be that some bales will be sweater than others. We get it al the time even though it has all come from the same place and was baled at the same time.