Soaking hay to reduce carbohydrates being fed to laminitis-prone horses and ponies works better in summer, a study reveals.
New research, to be presented at the British Equine Veterinary Association congress in September, indicates that soaking hay in summer-temperature tap water may allow water-soluble carbohydrates to be leached more effectively than from winter-temperature tap water, making it safer to feed to horses and ponies prone to laminitis.
The study supports research carried out last year that suggested hay-soaking in winter tap water may be an unreliable method.
It is now well known that feeding forage containing high levels of water-soluble carbohydrates may lead to laminitis.
Many owners of laminitis-prone horses and ponies soak hay in an attempt to reduce its levels of water-soluble carbohydrates, which ideally should be below 10 per cent to make it safe to feed.
However, using cold water can result in a high variability of leaching among different hays, rendering the method unreliable in terms of making hay safer for laminitics.
The research, conducted by the Waltham-initiated Laminitis Consortium, examined several different hay-soaking regimens using four different types of hay.
The hay was soaked at varying initial temperatures (8 degrees Celsius,16C or 49C), over different timescales (1, 3, or 16 hours) and using a variety of soaking methods.
The conclusion was that soaking hay in water at a temperature of around 16C for a period of 16 hours resulted in the greatest and most consistent loss of water-soluble carbohydrates.
However, even then, the average loss was generally less than 50 per cent of the original level.
The researchers said soaking hay should always be seen as an additional safeguard when it comes to feeding laminitis-prone horses and ponies.
It is crucial, they said, to have hay analysed before feeding it to an animal at high risk of laminitis, selecting hay with the lowest water-soluble content you can find.
"If in doubt, use a forage replacer to ensure you know exactly what you are providing," they said.
The Laminitis Consortium comprises world-leading equine veterinary, nutrition and research experts interested in collaborating over laminitis.
The consortium includes the authors of this study, Dr Annette Longland, of Equine Livestock and Nutrition Services (ELNS), Dr Pat Harris of the Waltham Equine Studies Group and Clare Barfoot of Spillers.
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