Soaking hay can cut sugar, but it may also wash out nutrients

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Soaking hay can help lower the sugar load for horses with equine metabolic syndrome, laminitis risk, PSSM, HYPP, or respiratory disease, but it can also wash out some nutrients, according to guidance highlighted by The Horse and supported by University of Minnesota Extension. Extension specialists say soaking for 15 to 60 minutes reduces water-soluble carbohydrates, potassium, and dust, and that cool-season grass hays with NSC above 12% can often be brought into a safer range after 15 to 30 minutes of soaking. But the effect isn’t limited to sugars: longer soaking times also reduce magnesium and phosphorus, increase dry matter losses, and can shift the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio enough to matter nutritionally. (extension.umn.edu)

Why it matters: For veterinarians and equine nutrition teams, the key message is that hay soaking is a management tool, not a nutritional shortcut. University of Minnesota Extension advises relying on forage testing before and after soaking, especially for horses with laminitis, EMS, PSSM, HYPP, or COPD, because some hay may not need soaking at all, while prolonged soaking can create new ration-balancing problems. Cornell also notes that if hay quality is unknown, soaking for about 30 minutes can reduce water-soluble carbohydrates substantially, but the broader diet still has to be evaluated so horses don’t end up short on phosphorus or total forage intake after dry matter losses. (extension.umn.edu)

What to watch: Expect continued emphasis on forage analysis, shorter soaking times, and more individualized diet plans for horses with insulin dysregulation and laminitis risk. (extension.umn.edu)