Soaking hay-how often do you change the water?

[Landcruiser]

One of my horses need his hay soaked - he's sensitive to dust AND he's a porker. I've always changed the water daily - but is that necessary? I read somewhere that the water from soaking hay is an environmental pollutant - not something you'd want to put tomorrow's dinner in, maybe?

What do other people do?

 

[Ebenezer_Scrooge]

I change it after every soaking.

 

[smokey]

every day. It is a pollutant, and should be disposed of properly (not sure exactly how though!)

 

[Zerotolerance]

Every soaking, without fail. Gobsmacked when I've seen people using the same old water day in, day out.

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Water from soaked hay is the same as sewage! Why don't you feed haylage? It's not true that it's "richer" than hay.

 

[Zerotolerance]

I do feed haylage to 6 of mine, but the 26yo who has survived 2 colic surgeries can only have a limited amount of haylage, plus some soaked hay.

 

[Landcruiser]

I'd feed haylage, except I get free hay in my livery (they make their own) and I'd have to buy it. I'll continue to change it every day then. Thought I might be able to save some time and effort there!

 

[smellsofhorse]

I don't current soak hay but when I worked on a yard where we did, we changed the water every day.
If not it stinks!
I would expect a horse to eat hay soaked in that gross water!

 

[rema]

I change it everyday..I use the left overs from their water buckets to soak the hay in..

 

[MerrySherryRider]

I soak it in fresh water for 8-12 hours and then rinse by soaking it through for 5 minutes in more water before use. The first lot of water is rancid when its emptied out, and the second rinse is much cleaner.

 

[Lotty]

I change it after every soaking.

 

[pottamus]

Every soaking made.

 

[Janah]

After every soaking.

 

[Tnavas]

Discard water after each soaking - down the normal drain! You're lucky yours eats it - mine would rather starve than eat wet hay

 

[PolarSkye]

After every soaking . . . AND I rinse the haynets to get the rest of the mucky "juice" out.

P

 

[niagaraduval]

I don't soak but steam now, so only have a kettle full of water to dispose, so much easier.