Steaming hay - best way to do it

[augermoon]

Can anyone please advise the best procedure for steaming hay as well as the pros/cons compared to wetting. I am now having to bring Arnie in during the daytime so am back on haynets again. I normally wet the hay as Arnie is quite snuffly but am interested in steaming it instead. Can you please let me have any opinions / experiences.

thanks

[artemis]

I have only done it in the winter when you get instant lolipops if you use cold water :D
I use a plastic wheelbarrow, a kettle of boiling water & cover it with a peice of sacking for half an hour.

[B&R's Mum]

I like to steam my hay rather than soaking it. I put it in a plastic dustbin with a lid on, pour a boiling kettle over it (two if it is a big net) and leave it for about 1/2 hour.
The reason I steam is that it is much lighter and easier to handle. Handling the net afterwards is lovely in the winter because it is warm. Also you don't remove as much of the goodness in the hay.

[Portia]

As far as pros and cons go ... my understanding is that there's an optimal time for soaking hay (as opposed to steaming, no 'leccy at yard so not an option for me) to allow for spores etc to swell sufficiently to not irritate mucosal membrane, vs leaching nutrients from the hay.

Have read a lot of forums on this topic and the debate seems to remain open, i personally soak for maybe 10 minutes then drain. However, if I had the choice i would steam.

If he's irritated by the hay, would feeding from the ground be a better choice?

[augermoon]

Thanks for the responses. I think I'll give it a go and see how we get on. After all the only cost is that of a cheap kettle and another bin so we can always go back to soaking if it doesn't work.

Feeding form the floor isn't really an option as the hay ends up everywhere and is a nightmare to separate from the shavings. Tried it once and he is just too messy. Shame though as that might be beneficial.

Just one more question. I normally get the haynet ready at night and then leave it behind his stable for the next morning. Would it be okay to steam the night before and then leave it or would it need to be done just before I give it to him. Only thing I'm thinking is that at 7am in the morning, I don't have time to wait half an hour for it to be done.

[Bebe]

I steam my hay in the same way as B&Rs Mum. It's easier & less messy than soaking and my mare seems to prefer it steamed anyway.

I don't think you'd get away with steaming it the night before though,as the water cools the steam will turn back into water so the spores in the hay won't swell up (this is what the steam does). The longer it's sat for the drier it will get so eventually you'll be back at square one anyway. The same goes for soaked hay, once it's dried out you lose the effect.

I can get away with steaming for 10-15 mins rather than half an hour if I make sure my nets aren't too tightly packed and I use 2 kettles of water instead of one. Saves a bit of time.

[Portia]

I know what you mean about shavings and hay.

I was very lucky to finds the most enormous tub - nearly a metre across and about 75cm deep; I soak hay in that, drain then also feed from that. Also lucky to have a mare that is fairly 'tidy' in her eating habits though...

The downside to feeding from floor - apart from shavings obv - is not being able to slow the rate of feeding as you can with a net. Might be a problem if you have a good doer.