Soaking hay is common practice on many yards because it can be a cost effective way of improving your horses health. While new technology, such as steaming, is now available, soaking is still the first choice for many horse owners. Keep reading to find out why.
Benefits of Soaking Hay
Reduced Sugar Content
Potentially the most common reason horse owners soak their horses hay is to reduce the sugar content. Obesity is an ongoing problem in our horses and it can lead to conditions such as laminitis. Thanks to our understanding of the horses digestive system, we know how important it is for our horses to have access to forage and graze almost constantly throughout the day. But giving our horses unlimited access to food doesn’t promote weightloss.
When we soak hay, the water soluable carbohydrates are drawn out of the hay and into the water, reducing the overall calorie content of the hay. Meaning owners can feed more soaked hay, keeping stomachs full, while feeding fewer calories.
Respiratory Health
Another common reason for soaking hay is to help improve respiratory health. Even the best quality hay has dust and mould spores. There’s no getting away from it. While most horses can cope with low levels of these particles, horses with a history of respiratory problems such as COPD or heaves will often by triggered by these particles.
Soaking hay dampens about 90% of these particles, reducing the likelihood of the horse inhaling them while eating. However, for horses who really struggle with dusty hay may benefit more from steamed hay, which can remove 99% of these particles.
Easier to Eat
Soaked hay is often softer than dry hay, making it easier to eat for horses with dental issues. Older horses with fewer teeth would potentially benefit from soaked hay over dry hay.
Better Hydration
You can take a horse to water… many of us worry about how much water our horses are drinking, particularly when we are out and about on a hot day. Many horses are too alert to drink while at a show. Taking soaked hay to shows can be a great trick for keeping your horse hydrated as most will still nibble a haynet.
When we soak hay, it absorbs the water. When horse owners start feeding soaked hay, they often notice their horse is drinking less. This is because they are getting more of their hydration from their hay. So soaking hay can help you keep your horse hydrated, especially in warmer weather.
Limitations of Soaked Hay
So if soaked hay has so many benefits, why aren’t all horse owners soaking their horses hay? Well, soaking hay comes with it’s own limitations.
Hard Work
Soaking hay is hard work and far from an easy solution. You need to plan in advance to make sure your hay soaks and drains for the right amount of time for your horse to eat it. It’s also a very heavy and very messy job.
Loss of Nutrients
When we soak hay, it’s not just the sugars that come out. Some essential minerals and vitamins, such as potassium, can also be removed from the hay. Depending on how much of your horse’s diet is made up of soaked hay, you will need to think about how you are going to supplement these essential nutrients.
Spoils Quickly
Wet hay doesn’t last as long as dry hay. It can become a breeding ground of bacteria. Some studies have found that soaking hay can increase the bacteria by 150%. This not only can make the hay less palatable, but it can also be a potential health risk to our horses.
Water Usage
When soaking your hay, you really want to be completely submerging the hay, especially if you are trying to reduce the sugar content. If you think about how big your haynet is, and how big a bucket you are going to need to fit the haynet, that is a lot of water. I’m currently using a 75l bucket to soak my 7kg haynet. And it’s not all completely submerged.
Not only do you need to use a lot of water to soak the hay, but the waste water from soaked hay very polluting. Some sources state that it is 9 times more polluting than raw sewage.
Weather Limitations
The weather changes throughout the year also impact how you soak hay. When the temperatures drop, water can freeze. This can make it harder to get access to fresh water to soak your hay and it can also make draining your hay harder if it has frozen while soaking.
Over the summer when it’s warmer, you have to be careful about bacteria. Soaking hay generates more bacteria in warmer weather and drained hay can start to ferment quicker. This means you might need to soak for shorter periods and feed it sooner to your horse.
How Palatable is Soaked Hay?
Every horse is different and they all seem to have a different opinion on soaked hay. Some refuse to eat it, some eat it when they realise it’s all they are getting and others seem to prefer it.
What can I do to make soaked hay more pallatable?
- Reduce soaking time – soaking for less than 30mins usually doesn’t impact palatability.
- Consider rinsing drained hay – hay that has soaked for a long time can develop a musty or sour smell. Rinsing it off with clean water can help freshen it up before feeding.
- Consider the type of hay you are feeding – coarse, stalking hay tends to be less palatable when soaked compared to leafy hay.
- Introduce soaked hay slowly – only soaking part of your horses hay ration at the start and increasing can help them get used to and accept soaked hay.
- Mix soaked & dry hay – if your horse still doesn’t accept soaked hay, you can try mixing soaked with dry hay.
Top Tips for Soaking Hay
1. Soak for the right amount of time
⏳ To Reduce Dust & Mold: Soak for 10–30 minutes
⏳ To Lower Sugar Content: Soak for 30–60 minutes (longer removes more sugars but also nutrients)
⏳ Avoid Over-Soaking: Soaking for over 12 hours can make hay unappetizing and promote bacterial growth.
2. Use Clean, Fresh Water
💧 Always use clean water and change it for each soak to prevent bacterial buildup.
💧 In warm weather, shorter soaking times reduce fermentation risks.
3. Drain Thoroughly
🪣 Use a hay net or large tub with drainage holes to make lifting and draining easier.
🚰 Rinse briefly if needed to remove excess sugar-filled water.
4.Think Practically
🛢 Use a large tub, water trough, or a wheelbarrow liner for easy soaking.
❄️ In cold weather, use lukewarm water to prevent freezing.
🔥 In hot weather, soak in the shade to slow bacterial growth.
If you expect to be soaking hay long term, you might want to invest in one of the many products on the market designed specifically to make soaking hay easier. I personally love the look of HayCube.
5. Feed Immediately
⏳ Feed soaked hay within 12 hours in cool weather or 4–6 hours in warm weather to prevent spoilage.
🚫 Avoid leaving wet hay sitting too long—it can ferment and become unpalatable.
6. Introduce Gradually
🐴 Some horses may refuse soaked hay at first. Mix with dry hay or reduce soaking time to help them adjust.
Last Updated on 07/02/2025