Question for those of you who feed hay cubes.

[Robin1]

Do you soak them or not? I fed pellets for years and always had to soak them so the horses wouldn't choke. I have been feeding hay for about 2 yrs now and my allergies are killing me and the horses are getting ucky eyes (I believe from the hay dust.)

Also how do your babies do with it if you don't soak them?

Thanks,

Robin

 

[txminipinto]

Robin,

Please don't feed hay cubes. They are the number one cause of choke. I'm not exactly sure why you're soaking pellets; I've always fed pellets and have never had an issue with choke (granted I don't have anyone over the age of 5 currently). I can understand your allergies but as far as the horses, feed it on the ground and they are less likely to get eye irritation. If they have crusty eyes, then their lacrimal ducts maybe blocked and need to be flushed (by a vet!!).

 

[bevann]

When I feed hay cubes they are always soaked and very soft.I think hard hay cubes don't go well with Minis.I also use a product which is chopped kiln dried hay .It comes in 50 lb shrink wrapped bags&is dust free.Triple Crown is 1 brand name another is Dengi.I am sure there are other brands out there.Protein content is always the same&it comes in a grass type or alfalfa only type.Both kinds are kiln dried hay of excellent quality, chopped and sprayed lighty with a small amount of molasses.I am feeding my yearlings this in the AM since we have very poor pastures this year due to lack of rain.It is very easily digested.It can be fed in a bucket or I use a long bunk type feeder since I feed nothing on the ground due to very sandy soil here. I am not a vet-but this has worked for me.

 

[Kendra]

We feed hay/alfalfa cubes to our show horses and have for probably 15 years. They're fed dry and since the Miniature Horses have to break them apart to chew them they don't have a problem with them. We've only had one minor incident of choke, in an old gelding, and he got over it on his own before we could even call the vet, and to be honest it seemed to be the oats he was choking on. We do soak them sometimes, but generally only when we are concerned that a horse isn't getting enough water, then we make them "soup"!

 

[Robin1]

Carin, I soaked the pellets because my Arabian used to choke on them so I don't trust them for the minis. The hay is fed on the ground but the dust this year is terrible. :no:

I have looked and called all over about chopped hay but I can't find anybody that carries it here. I am in Arizona and Triple Crown is not sold here.

Robin

 

[Reble]

Question for those of you who feed hay cubes. Do you soak them or not?

Been 3 years now, and no we just feed dry. It helps their teeth by chewing.

We did try wet, but they did not eat it.

We feed alfalfa hay cubes/ grain with frisky foal mixed, minierals and sunflower seeds.

They also have a minieral or salt block.

Hay is sometimes hard to find around us, and we do not have a lot of storage space.

The coop gives us a great deal. Buy what we need to last us about a month.

Now when pasture is right, they go out on 5 acres of pasture, for a certain time limit.

Everyone is different, you have to ask yourself what will work best for you and your minis.

:saludando:

 

[Jill]

I am not currently feeding hay cubes but I have used them a lot in the past, and may again in the future.

What we found is that different brands soak up at different rates and some do not ever soak all the way through.

I like the kind that are larger in size but not so tightly packed. When we soak them the way we like to have them, it's a mush that looks like mowed grass and there are no solid packed pieces anymore, but with some brands, we can never get them that soaked.

Right now, we are feeding Purina Equine Adult and soft orchard grass hay. We are not soaking the pellets and no problem with choke but again, having seen different brands of pellets, the textures do vary brand to brand. Some pellets are very hard, but the purina ones are actually pretty soft and I don't feel like the average mini would be able to choke on them.

 

[Greenaroo]

I use Timothy/Alfalfa hay cubes with one of my minis. I always crush them first and then soak them, otherwise some of them don't wet down all the way through.

 

[Jill]

Another tip, too, if you can is to use warm or hot water. They will soak up MUCH faster and better.