Soaking hay-how long for?

[pistolpete]

My horse needs to stop coughing now as he is not coping with his hay just being dampened down, how long do I need to soak for and once soaked how long can I leave it?

 

[Nugget La Poneh]

One school of thought is you soak for a maximum of 30 mins otherwise you start causing other issues with the water potentially being toxic.

Other theory is soak the pants of it for 12 odd hours, rinse it off and go from there.

One lady on our yard fluffs up the hay, loosely puts it in the nest (so has 3 nets to most peoples 1) and leaves out on the rails opposite the stables to 'air' - seems to work for her.

Also consider haylage and you can now get dust extracted/wrapped hay, but not sure how cost effective it is?

Check the bedding isn't dusty as well, and that there isn't other under-lying issues causing the cough, not just the dust from hay/bedding etc.

 

[pistolpete]

Have used haylage but too expensive and he is a fatty. So has to be hay.

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

Soaking for 30 mins should deal with the dust, but if he's a fatty as well then I would go for at least 4-6 hours as an easy way to also reduce sugars and calories while giving a good chew.

If you want t soak it longer than that you can soak it for up to 12 hours but I would change the water at least once if doing that.

Or maybe think about investing it, or making your own, hay steamer for the dust aspect ( tho it won't lower the calories/ sugars much)

 

[whizzer]

I soak for no more than 30 mins as have a poor doer so don't want to leach all the goodness out! About 15-20 mins seems to be enough to stop him coughing.

 

[stargirl88]

I would soak for longer if he's a fatty, I soak mine over night - and throughout the day ready for the evening (roughly 12 hours either way) to get out as much sugar as possible (although you need to think hay/water ratio if you're doing that). It is a bit of a bore making sure its rinsed properly though!

 

[amandap]

If dust control is the reason then 10 mins is enough or steam it. For water soluble carbohydrate reduction you need to soak for a minimum of an hour to twelve hours.

 

[MillionDollar]

10 - 20 mins for dust control, 30 - 60 mins for reducing calories.

 

[pistolpete]

Thanks for replies. it's mainly dust control while there is goodness in the grass. While it is cold and wet I am guessing once soaked and drained it stays ok to eat for a while? Oh for a steamer...

 

[pistolpete]

At what point does soaked hay require rinsing? I soak for a maximum of an hour usually twenty minutes. Should I be rinsing?

 

[pistolpete]

Rinsing ???

 

[amandap]

I don't think rinsing is as important if you're soaking to remove mould spores.

 

[FairyLights]

30 minuits. If the horse is lamanitic and there is a neccessity to remove sugars then its 3 hours.

 

[Mudfukkle]

I soak my hay for 12 hours, to reduce sugars and also dust, I never rinse it and have never had a problem. But I always use fresh water each time.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Never known anyone rinse their soaked hay off ever!
I soak mine for 20 mins and feed straight away then remove and throw away any left overs in the morning