Foxfields Livery Stables

20/09/2026

HAY SOAKING TRUTHS 🟨💧

If I had a pound for every time I get asked about this, I'd be rich!

There always seems to be nutribaloney circulating about soaking hay - for example whether or not it should actually be soaked.

Some Q&As to help...
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Q: Does soaking hay strip it of nutrients?
A: Yes - that's the whole point (unless you're soaking for up to 30 mins for respiratory health) - we're long- soaking to reduce BOTH calories (energy) & water soluble carbs (sugar & fructan)
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Q: Can we replace the useful nutrients lost e.g. minerals?
A: Yes - that's why we add a balancer or vitamin & mineral supplement to the diet, because soaking may reduce some mineral levels
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Q: Do we soak for just sugar reduction?
A: No No No No!!!! For overweight horses & ponies or those with insulin dysregulation we soak hay to reduce calories (energy) as well as water soluble carbs (WSC) = sugar AND fructan!!

(Fructan is not sugar. It's made up of sugar units joined by bonds that are not broken by digestive enzymes, but fermented by gut microbes.

The reason some may get confused about fructan is they either think it's a sugar or they think it doesn't affect insulin response... both are incorrect).
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Q: Is it safe to test hay for just sugar & starch and then feed it to laminitis / ID / EMS horses & ponies if it's under 12%?
A: Absolutely, categorically NO!! This is really important. Both calories and fructan (WSC) can be highly variable in hay and you could cause laminitis by feeding unsoaked hay of unknown energy (calorie) and WSC content. Furthermore, analysing hay is only an estimation of what that particular sample contained and results should be used with care.

To focus solely on sugar and starch and insulin response and forget calories (dietary energy) and body fat level for all horses and ponies - especially laminitics - is plain bad advice and shows a complete lack of nutrition knowledge and understanding.
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Q: Do I need to be worried about soaking hay, about mineral losses??
A: Absolutely not. We just need to balance soaked hay with suitable products. Soaking hay is sometimes the only way we can get unhealthy overweight, laminitis-prone, EMS/ID horses & ponies to lose weight without half-starving them.
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Q: How long should I soak my horse's hay?
A: 15-30 minutes for allergies e.g. equine asthma. 2 to 12 hours for reductions in water soluble carbs (sugar and fructan) AND energy (calories). The length of time depends ENTIRELY on your horse's response. You're aiming to feed enough to avoid more than a 4h fast daytime and 6h fast overnight, whilst maintaining a healthily-slim body condition. Soak for as little time as you can but for as long as necessary (max 12h, less in hot weather)

I hope this helps to calm the worry about soaking hay and clarify some nutribaloney.

If you want to join me for a no-nutribaloney experience where you will leave behind confusion, doubt and going around in circles about nutrition and feeding, then comment confidence and I'll message you,

Feel free to share 🐴🍏🟨💧

17/09/2026

Great advice

🐴 STRANGLES & BIOSECURITY – A MESSAGE TO OUR RIDERS 🐴

Following a recent outbreak of Strangles in Cheshire, we’d like to remind everyone of the importance of good biosecurity — particularly if you ride at or visit more than one yard.

Strangles can spread not only through direct contact between horses, but also indirectly via hands, clothing, footwear and equipment. This means that people moving between yards can unintentionally carry infection from one premises to another.

🧼 If you ride at multiple yards, please:

👕 Change your riding clothes between yards
Ideally, wear clean clothing when visiting another yard. Don’t wear clothing that has been in close contact with horses at another premises.

🥾 Clean your boots thoroughly
Remove all visible dirt and manure and disinfect your boots before visiting another yard. Pay particular attention to the soles and treads.

👐 Wash your hands
Wash your hands thoroughly between yards, particularly after handling horses, tack, buckets or other equipment.

🧹 Don’t share equipment between yards
Where possible, keep grooming kits, rugs, gloves, hats and other equipment specific to each yard. Anything that does travel between yards should be properly cleaned and disinfected.

🐎 Consider the order in which you visit yards
If you visit more than one premises in a day, consider visiting the yard with the lowest biosecurity risk first and higher-risk premises last.

🚫 Don’t visit other yards if you have been exposed to a suspected or confirmed case
If a horse at a yard you visit develops signs suspicious of Strangles, please inform the other yards you attend and seek veterinary advice about whether you should temporarily avoid visiting other premises.

Please help us protect our horses and the wider equestrian community by taking biosecurity seriously. ❤️🐴

Thank you for your cooperation.

This is general biosecurity guidance. If you have been exposed to a confirmed or suspected case, please follow the specific advice of your veterinary surgeon and the affected yard.

14/09/2026

Been saying this for a long time. Hopefully there'll more awareness now

Owners may unknowingly be leaving their horses absent from the British Central Equine Database (CED), a competition organiser and showing association have warned.

The confusion has prompted the BHS and World Horse Welfare to share advice surrounding the correct procedure for registering imported horses.

The issue came to light after concerns were raised by the Traditional Gypsy Cob Association (TGCA), a UK Passport Issuing Organisation (PIO), who discovered that a significant number of imported horses entered into a Search for a Star qualifying show were not recorded on the CED.

“The Irish PIO’s do process the change of ownership with the new English address on the label within the passport but that is the end of their responsibility it seems as these details are not then added to the CED,” said Andrea Betteridge, Director of the Traditional Gypsy Cob Association.

“As a result, many owners who have done everything they believed was required remain unaware that an additional step is needed to register their horse on the Central Equine Database through a UK PIO."

Read the full story via link in comments.

31/08/2026

Too many horses go missing. There have recently been horses in my area found. They were scanned for microchips but did not have one.

It is law to have your equine microchipped. Please ensure they are on the equine register and your details are up to date. You can quickly state if you suspect they have been stolen so hopefully are returned in as short a time as possible.

Only the passport authority shows when looking up an equine due to data protection laws. Don't get caught out by thinking an Irish horse automatically is on the register. They have to be overstamped by a mainland society. All horses from anywhere in the world need to be registered correctly, again don't assume the person you bought your horse from has done this.

It also states whether the horse is excluded from human consumption. Just a worse case scenario if your horse is stolen and they end up at the abbatoir.

The images show what to look for to ensure you're up to date. Please take the time to check your equine is registered.

28/08/2026

Finally progress is being made

Progress made in tackling equine obesity – but welfare must be key in judging. Read more below

26/08/2026

New welfare guidance has been published for owners of equines. The guidance provides information on how to care for equines and ensure their welfare and emotional needs are met.

Emphasising the importance of equine welfare, the guidance has been developed in close partnership with the equine sector, and covers everything from diet and environment to horse passports and tethering.

The guidance replaces the previous Welfare of Equidae Code of Practice published in 2009, and recognises that animal welfare knowledge, management practices and science have moved on from previous management principles.

Modern approaches now include mental wellbeing, positive experiences, the need for social interaction and the ability to express natural behaviours as well as the equines physical health.

British Horse Society
BHS Scotland
National Equine Welfare Council
World Horse Welfare

To view the new welfare guidance visit https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781807753627

I cannot wait for this to be rolled out to the rest of the UK. Fortunately, I have most of this in place.

Please try to read it guidance in full. Hopefully we can prevent the awful people in the horse world from getting away with the horrendous things they put these beautiful creatures through.

I would love the police to acknowledge this too. It would have prevented the 2 loan horses that have sadly left from being placed back in neglect.

Don't care who I upset by this comment. It is the truth so deal with it.

This guidance is intended to help all those who care for equids ensure that their fundamental health and welfare needs are met. It is issued by the Scottish Ministers under section 38 of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 with a view to securing the welfare of equids.

04/08/2026

🐎STRANGLES - STILL A REAL AND ONGOING THREAT TO HORSES & PONIES IN THE UK🐎

🐎STRANGLE is one of the most FREQUENTLY DIAGNOSED INFECTIOUS DISEASES of horses in the UK and leads to significant...

🙁ECONOMIC LOSS
🙁LOSS OF RIDING OPPORTUNITY
🙁EQUINE SUFFERING

🐎There were 479 reported diagnoses in 2025, and a further 290 in the first six months of 2026. These almost certainly are an underestimate as many cases are not formerly diagnosed or reported.

In the period April, May and June....
🦠74% of cases were in Native UK ponies or horses
🦠Nasal discharge was the most common sign (36%)
🦠Average age was 9 years (range 5-13 years)
🦠1.8x more common in male v female horses/ponies

🐎The disease is caused by Streptococcus equi subspecies equi (S. equi) and is characterised by fever and the formation of abscesses in the lymph nodes of the head and neck

🐎Acute signs of disease can last for several weeks and may lead to life-threatening complications, including purpura haemorrhagica (immune-mediated vasculitis) and bastard strangles (metastatic abscess formation) with mortality rates of up to 10% in some outbreaks. Approximately 10% of recovered horses can remain persistently infected, with the potential to trigger new cases of strangles in horses with which they come into contact.

🐎Hygiene, biosecurity measures and diagnostic testing can reduce the risk of strangles; however, these measures are not always practical or implemented to a sufficient level to prevent and control outbreaks.

💉Vaccination is available to help reduce the risk of Strangles. Strangvac is a recombinant fusion protein vaccine that is associated significantly with protection, including in realworld Strangles outbreak situations.

Have YOU been affected by Strangles?

04/08/2026

28/07/2026

A lovely BHS officer brought the weighbridge to the yard today. So informative and we all had a great time. 3 of our 8 horses got rosettes for being the ideal weight. Us others have a little work to do but I'm made up with everyone. Well done team Foxfields. We are getting her back around March so we have some time to work on our improvements. Go team go ###