Hay Cough And Soaking Hay

H

hoofhearted

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Jan 25, 2004
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Took Duchess out for a short hack yesterday and she was really coughing, not too bad at walk but a very short trot and she was coughing almost constantly. I'm putting this down to the hay, she has no nasal discharge and still has a good appetite. So it looks like I'll have to soak the hay.

As she is fed hay off the ground in the field, what do you think is the best way to go about this? Usually I wheel the barrow of hay down to the field, park it by the gate then carry the hay up to where the ground is a bit less muddy but the owner of the pony she is in with (who feeds the morning hay) has said he just chucks hay over the hedge. I don't relish the thought of carrying wet hay back and forth, and I'm sure he'll like it even less!!

Any tips or suggestions on making this easier? (Don't want to use haynets in the field).
 
Could you not run a hose down to the field so you could hose it down before they eat it?
Or use haynets so soak it but then emty the haynets on the floor rather than leaving them in the field. Its better for a cougher if they eat from the floor anyway rather than in a haynet.
 
its weird you say that its better to eat from the floor my riding instructor has a horse that coughs and she says hes not allowed to eat from the floor and feeds sections into a big bucket filled with water ??
 
sassy210605 said:
its weird you say that its better to eat from the floor my riding instructor has a horse that coughs and she says hes not allowed to eat from the floor and feeds sections into a big bucket filled with water ??
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Hi sassy, I think your instructor probably means he mustn't eat *dry* hay from the floor :) By feeding him his hay out of a bucket filled with water, she is still keeping his head as low as possible while he eats, and is also ensuring his hay is wet. Some people feed wet hay directly off the floor which is really the same thing, but wet hay is very heavy to carry, so I can see why your instructor uses the method she does :)

Keeping a horse's head low while they eat is a good thing to do because it is how they eat naturally. It means that dust and seeds are less likely to get into their eyes and nostrils which can cause an allergic response. It also allows their airways to drain freely. Their teeth grind down at a more natural angle so it is less likely that there will be any bitting or teeth problems in the future.

Soaking hay (ideally for 20-30 mins before giving it to the horse) makes any dust spores swell up so they stick to the hay and can't get up the horse's nostrils. This makes an allergic response less likely.

So basically, what atillathefun and your instructor do is exactly the same principle (wet hay fed as low down as possible), just done in two slightly different ways :)

Hope that helps!
 
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