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Hay: To Soak or Not to Soak?

Feb 21, 2014

In areas or seasons where pasture is unavailable, horse owners turn to hay to make up for their horses' loss of grazing time. But choosing the right hay for a particular horse can present challenges. When feeding hay to horses, many questions arise: What kind, how much, should I buy processed hay, and finally, should I soak the hay for my horse? Soaking hay provides owners with the ability to alter some physical characteristics as well as the nutrient content of their hay if purchasing the ideal hay is not a feasible option.

Why should I soak my hay?

Respirable dust and mold Suboptimal growing and harvesting processes can result in excess dust and/or mold in hay that can cause problems in horses. For example, dust can accumulate in hay grown near dusty roads, and mold can form in hay that has been baled in wet conditions. Dust particles can cause or worsen respiratory problems such as recurrent airway obstruction (RAO). Mold can cause digestive upset such as colic and also produces airborne spores that can cause respiratory diseases in horses. Many studies have shown soaking hay can reduce respirable particle concentration by at least 88%. Soaking can also reduce the amount of mold present.

Source: The Horse