Why is it bad to leave hay bale strings in a horse's hay?
I was working at the barn I take lessons at and I left one haystring in a horse's hay. My trainer, therefore, has asked me to look up why leaving haystrings is bad. I can't find anything on the Internet, so here I am on Yahoo! Answers. If you guys have any internet articles for sources, that'd be great because then I can read more in depth into the subject.
Your trainer is smart enough to know that if she just tells you it is not a good thing to do you might forget the lesson and go on but if you are made to research the reason you are more likely to remember.
Hay string is dangerous for several reasons:
A horse could eat it - very dangerous could actually kill the horse.
A horse could get it tangled around his legs - which could cause panic and/or cut the legs.
That plastic twine doesn't break down easily - where will it ultimately end up? If it is not discarded in the trash or burned in the burn pile where is it? If it ends up in the compost heap it could cause problems with manure spreading equipment, if it ends up in the pasture is could wrap around mower spindles causing more equipment problems.
Best to just collect it up. I save a few strands on a hook in my barn (never know when the stuff will come in handy) but the rest goes into the garbage can.
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December 22nd, 2008 at 10:09 pm
It can wrap around their legs and bite in leaving a scar (especially if the string is the nylon version). It can even cut off circulation to a leg and cause damage to or even loss of a limb.
It can also be ingested and cause impaction colic.
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December 22nd, 2008 at 10:29 pm
someone at my yard left sting in my horses hay, he ate it, it made him very uncomfortable for quite a while he also had colic, & it (obviously) came out the other end, but i had to pull it out, he found this very uncomfortable, and got quite grumpy about this. not fun for me either.
so yeah, not a good idea.
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December 22nd, 2008 at 10:43 pm
because if the horse eats the twine it can cause serious stomach issues like impaction colic and intestinal blockage. unlike cows, horses cannot digest twine, and often eat so fast they don't even realize it's twine and not hay they're chewing. once swallowed, twine can get tangled and trapped in the digestive tract and this could easily lead to death in a very short period of time! best case senario, the owner is going to have a very sick horse and a HUGE vet bill
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December 22nd, 2008 at 11:16 pm
i would say that its bad to leave bale strings in there haynet because for one some horses are stupid enough to eat it!mistaking it for hay! and also it could get there legs tangled in with the haynet or just on there own with just the string!especially if the string hasnt been cut and its in one loop still!always cut bale string when opening abale of hay and i usually wrap them round each other and tie them in a knot, then trow them away safely out of horses reach!
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December 22nd, 2008 at 11:35 pm
My friend left one in my hay while I was on vacation my girl was sick for WEEK!!! (didn't know why) Until it came out thank god:) It can cost you lost of money or the life of a horse. Also they can get tangled in them, cut up there legs, who knows what they will come up with. It's dangerous all the way around:)
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12 yr vet tech 3 yr animal control and 21 yr horse/pet owner
December 23rd, 2008 at 12:00 am
Surely common sense would say that its a danger for getting tangled round their legs!!As well as possibly being eaten,causing serious problems.
When I worked in a yard it was a strict rule that ALL hay strings were disposed of immediately a bale was cut open,otherwise you'd get a BIG telling off!
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common sense.
December 23rd, 2008 at 12:15 am
You risk ingestion, and the horse can become tangled in the twine.
It never fails, does it? The feral mustangs that the BLM cannot GIVE away survive in the most adverse situations, but the stabled pet risks harm from a piece of rope. Uncanny, isn't it?
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December 23rd, 2008 at 12:47 am
Very good reasons. First a trailing string can catch around a horse's leg leading at best to cutting off the blood supply to the leg, or a broken leg if the horse panics.
Another reason is that it is not digestible for the horse and could cause colic when it gets tangled somewhere inside, or if he does not actually manage to swallow some, he or she could be choked, which is a horrible way to die.
Thirdly it is a sign that you have not checked the hay properly for poisonous or simply nasty weeds etc and moulds in the hay. It should always be properly shaken out and inspected before filling the haynet. Foreign objects are a no no!
I am glad your instructor noticed, but am suprised that she/he did not actually explain to you.
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December 23rd, 2008 at 1:31 am
Well, one reason is that they could mistake for being hay, and accidentally eat it. Harming the horses mouth and stomach if he swallows. Also, he could get it wrapped around it and it could injury his body.
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December 23rd, 2008 at 1:59 am
well, your YA name sums it up - common sense!
They could choke on it..have you ever tried eating or swallowing a length of string.
They could trip on it, anything could happen and they are stronger than you think.
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December 23rd, 2008 at 2:44 am
They either eat it and get impaction colic, which is not fun, believe me, or the string gets tangled around their legs, which is also not fun. They can lose a limb for cut off circulation or it leaves a mark. Or they can choke on it.
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December 23rd, 2008 at 3:25 am
Leaving hay bale strings in a horses stale can turn bad….if the eat it they can get colic or other heath problems….also it can injure them on the outside of their bodies…I would watch that horse to make sure no problems develop!
Good Luck
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I have 3 horses myself
December 23rd, 2008 at 3:41 am
Your horse can accidentally eat it, which is vey uncomfortable for the horse and cause problems ingesting it or it can get wrapped around their legs and trip them or cut them. Good luck!
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December 23rd, 2008 at 3:55 am
Besides the dangers of the horse eating it or getting tangled up in the twine, where does it end up? In the muck pile? It is no fun to cut off strings off the beaters of a manure spreader. It can also wreck havoc on the lawn mowers.
I'm glad you listen to your trainer. I bet you are a good student.
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December 23rd, 2008 at 4:09 am
Your trainer is smart enough to know that if she just tells you it is not a good thing to do you might forget the lesson and go on but if you are made to research the reason you are more likely to remember.
Hay string is dangerous for several reasons:
A horse could eat it - very dangerous could actually kill the horse.
A horse could get it tangled around his legs - which could cause panic and/or cut the legs.
That plastic twine doesn't break down easily - where will it ultimately end up? If it is not discarded in the trash or burned in the burn pile where is it? If it ends up in the compost heap it could cause problems with manure spreading equipment, if it ends up in the pasture is could wrap around mower spindles causing more equipment problems.
Best to just collect it up. I save a few strands on a hook in my barn (never know when the stuff will come in handy) but the rest goes into the garbage can.
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December 23rd, 2008 at 4:23 am
Everyone else had great answers so I just wanted to add two stories for you:
1. I had just broke open a bale of hay on the ground and had one string in my hand. My mare came over and chomped a huge mouthful of the new hay and sucked in the end of the other string.
I reach down and grab the end of the other string and start to pull but hear my horse cough and gag. I look up and low and behold…the hay string had been swallowed. I had to pulllllll very slowly to get it out safely, her coughing the whole way.
2. The breeder I worked for always uses round bales (wrapped in baling twine, not a net). I was told to leave the twine wrapped on it to keep them from wrecking the bale.
Well, once this bale is destroyed the twine is under the hay and sometimes a loop will pop up. I go out daily to cut this loops and try to recover the twine.
One day, a loop of this twine popped up and a foal got his foot through it when he was sleeping. I was there when it happened so nothing came of it but what if I wasn't there?
His leg would have been destroyed for sure!
Cut off all baling twine and remove from hay.
If you pull your twine off from the knot then it wont get hung up on the hay as you pull. Slick and easy
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king p234
December 23rd, 2008 at 4:53 am
Yes it is very bad to leave strings in the horses hay. The horses could eat the strings and get colic -or- get the strings caught around their legs and get cut.
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Horse lover, owner, and trainer!
December 23rd, 2008 at 5:14 am
1.legs.. if they get wrapped in it that will typically start freaking out kicking and throwing themselves away from it… if they are in a tight space, hello injuries.
2.eating.. if they eat it then it can get wrapped in their stomache and intestines which in inevitably kill them. it happened to my friend's goat once and ever since she ALWAYS made sure that it didnt happen to her horses as well..
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