Soaking Hay

Helen010382

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Never had any experience with soaking hay so could do with some help and advice.

As I am limited for time (dark nights and working full time) would I be able to soak the hay over night then lift it to drain during the day and then feed the following night?

The yard owners don't want me to feed wet hay (ie water dripping off the net) as they say it will damage the wood walls of the stables so I thought if I left the nets to drip dry during the day over the drain the hay would still stay damp but would not be soaking wet.

My main reason for soaking the hay is to reduce calorie content for my shetlands is soaking over night long enough?
 

cobstar

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If you can afford it, there are some useful hay steamers about. You steam it for about 20-30 mins which should be sufficient and it means the nutrients are not lost too!
 

kerilli

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if it's to keep calorie content down, then soaking overnight is perfect. maybe if you fed the hay on the floor or in a big bin or small haybar then the YO might not object... unfortunately even if it's been draining all day, the hay will still be wet enough to stain the wood walls i reckon.
 

Honeypots

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I would say yes you can but when you take it out of the overnight water, rinse it of with the hose as it will have been sitting in yukky water all night. Are you soaking to remove the nutrients or to lessen the dust? It really only needs half an hour or so..or what about feeding it off the floor?
 

kerilli

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yes, fine to drain all day, cos the nutrients will be out of it by then. as long as no-one nicks it...
wink.gif
 

Happytohack

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As you're soaking to reduce calorie intake, then overnight soaking, a quick rinse and hang up to drain all day will be ideal. If you were soaking to reduce dust, then 20 mins is enough and it does then need to be fed wet so that the water clings to the dust spores. A trug on the floor might be your best bet.
BTW it would probably be easier to try and buy some of last year's hay!
 

Guinness

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A friend of mine does this for her mare that gets laminitis. She soaks it overnight, takes it out in the morning and then hangs it up at night. It still stains the wall though...
She changes the water in the barrel everyday, but maybe rinsing the hay before she hangs it up to dry might help!
 

happihorse

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It shouldn't be a problem at the moment, but when the weather gets a bit warmer you have to watch that the centre of the haynet doesn't start to heat up when it is draining becuase the hay could start to ferment which may lead to colic or other problems.
 

Helen010382

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[ QUOTE ]
Yep, i soak the little ones hay overnight, take out in the morning and i let it drain all day to feed at night. It is still quite damp though and still may stain the walls. What a silly request from your YO!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

You haven't met the YO's.......that is one of the more normal requests
crazy.gif
 

Fiona

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I soak hay for two of our horses, and do it in a large plastic tub (from B&Q or any hardware shop).

1. shake out required amount of hay into tub
2. pour water over it
3. leave for 20 min or overnight depending for reason to soak in the first place
4. tip the tub to drain
5. drag carry tub into stable

This way there will be no water in contact with stable walls, and if you are leaveing it for a further period after draining the water off, I'm sure it would be possible to tuck a bit of plastic over the top to stop the hay drying out again.

Works for us, and IMO is v clean and tidy method compared to soaking nets.

Fiona
 
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