Quick soaking hay question!

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Gemsie

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Hi Everyone,

I have posted a fair bit in the last few days re my old chap who is having another episode of spasmodic colic.

Do you think soaking his hay would make it easier for him to digest? I know that soaking it is good for laminitus as it reduces calorie content - which would not be a problem for him as he is a very good doer.

If you can give me your opinions on if you think this would help him out I would appreciate it.

Thanks again,

Gem
 
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have you tried a bran mash to flush everything through?

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This is a common misconception. A horse's digestion does not use bran in the same way as a humans.

<font color="blue"> MYTH #6: A weekly bran mash is good for my horse's digestive health.
FACT: Wheat bran is actually junk food for horses. Yes, they love the taste, but it's not really good for them. First, as a fiber source it's not that digestible, and second, bran contains about 13 times as much phosphorus as calcium, an imbalance which can eventually affect a horse's bone structure. Third, its famous laxative effect doesn't really exist. Horses are quite sensitive to sudden changes in their diets, so when you feed your horse a bran mash instead of his regular meal, it causes a mild digestive upset, and the result the next day is loose manure. An occasional bran mash on a cold winter's night does no real harm, but your horse's digestive system would prefer beet pulp (soaked in warm water has a similar effect). If you feed bran on a daily basis, try to make it no more than 10 percent of his total diet. Avoid bran if you're feeding a young horse—the calcium/phosphorus imbalance can interfere with his growth. On the whole, there are better feeds than bran. </font>

Also: http://www.equi-therapy.net/equi-therapy/nutrition/bran-mash.shtml
 
sorry, i didn't mean to suggest to feed bran on a regular basis. sorry if thats how it read.

i had an oldie until earlier this year and the occasional bran mash used to help settle her digestive system but in hindsight its best not to feed anything without checking with the vet , so i shouldnt have suggested it anyway.

Gem, hope his colic settles and he recovers very soon
 
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sorry, i didn't mean to suggest to feed bran on a regular basis. sorry if thats how it read.

i had an oldie until earlier this year and the occasional bran mash used to help settle her digestive system but in hindsight its best not to feed anything without checking with the vet , so i shouldnt have suggested it anyway.

Gem, hope his colic settles and he recovers very soon

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Sorry too! I didn't mean to lecture - it was just for info!
laugh.gif
 
Hi Wandamare, and thanks to everyone who has posted.

I do give him the occasional bran mash - as suggested by my vet for when he is colicy. I dont think it really makes any difference to his gut whatsoever - but he thoroughly enjoys slurping it down - which does distract him (all be it temporarily) from his tum - as he does not cow kick or look at him tum at all when slurping down a soggy bran mash!

Its certainly not something I would give him on a regular basis, and I know it has little nutritional content - but he does not have enough to affect his calcium levels and he does seem to enjoy it so I dont think it does him any harm at all.

I think I will try to soak his hay for a couple of hours tonight, just to see if it helps him to digest it - I dont think it can do any harm to try can it?

thanks again to everyone who has posted.

Gem
 
To be honest with you steaming the hay would be better for him. Just shove the hay in a large plastic sack or dustbin, you only need to pour on one kettle full (the hay does not need to get wet - its the steam that has the effect) and then tie the bag or put the lid on the dustbin and leave for 30 mins. Much better than steeping the stuff in water, easier, more hygienic and less wastage of the nutrients in the hay. Its softer for his teeth too. xx
 
Def ditto the recommendations to steam rather than soak hay for your chap.

I started steaming my hay nets last year and it is SO much easier. No more lugging heavy dustbin-fulls of water and having to dispose of the gallons of brown water. Nets are lighter and don't need to drip for hours afterwards. And it's SO much quicker.
 
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.. pour on one kettle full ..

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I like this idea, but how well does boiling water mix with plastic bags? I would have expected it to melt a bag. What kind of bag do you use?
 
We made a hay steamer last winter for our three by using a black dustbin the round kind made a hole in bottom put in the hose from a wallpaper steamer filled the steamer which we placed on a shelf near by for safety and away you go . Steamed away for a good hour then you need to top the water level up. Has a safety cut out when water is low. Cheap to set up.
 
Dad bought the bags for collecting timber yard shavings (free) for about 62p each. They are large bags but not particularly thick. Probably find that as the hot water hits the hay first the heat is somewhat dissipated before it hits the sides of the bags. Or buy a cheapy dustbin from poundstretcher, wilkinsons, poundland, etc and use that.
 
dont tell the council but i took one of my wheelie bins from home and used that for steaming hay, fits loads in, doesnt get hot or melt and easy to move around!!
 
We were always taught in the Pony Club that chaff was good for oldies, its shorter therefore easier to chew and digest, and you can feed ad lib as with hay. Perhaps mix with some speedi beet? Happy hoof is also good for fatties.

I agree that soaking it wouldnt hurt, my old pony seems to prefer it wet from a haynet than dry on the floor? Weirdo!
 
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