In planning for breeding in early spring, I brought my brood mare, Gretta, into the horse barn to be stalled under cycling lights.  She can be a rather finicky eater and was not interested in even drinking out of the automatic watering bowl in her stall.  I remembered seeing Purina’s Hydration Hay at the All American Quarter Horse Congress in October and thought it was an excellent idea!  So, why not give it a try to encourage the mare’s water intake and prevent possible dehydration, which can lead to colic.  I was skeptical at first because I am not a fan of alfalfa cubes.  They do not dissolve well, which increases the chance of a solid cube becoming stuck in the horse’s throat if not soaked properly and the quality of the cube forage is sometimes questionable.

As I opened the Purina Hydration Hay package, I was impressed with the quality (compressed alfalfa, orchard & timothy grass)  and the appealing  aroma (good hay products will have that good, fresh smell) and in a convenient 2 lb. block!  For the first try, I just used half a block, allowed it to soak in warm water for five minutes, then added more water to make a very thin drinkable “slurpy”.  The block  absorbed water quickly, a quick stir, and then I hung the 3-gallon bucket in her stall.  Gretta walked away from her grain and slurped and slobbered away; totally enjoying the great hay mixtures and drinking all-important quantities of  water.  All total, she drank about three gallons that night!  The bucket was licked clean the next morning!!  Needless to say, I went back the next day to my local feed store and purchased the 12-pack of the Hydration Hay.

I do a lot of traveling with my horses and once in a while…in a new environment and different water, a horse may be reluctant to drink. Now, I think I will carry a few “blocks” in my horse trailer. When you think about the price, it’s about $2 per block. I consider it a minimal investment to help ensure adequate hydration. Not only do my horses love the taste and “drink”  it up, but the bricks are light and easy to travel with; unlike 50 lb. bags of alfalfa cubes. A zip lock bag is the perfect container.  Purina Hydration Hay is a great product and my horses love it! Thanks Purina, you did it again!!

Cheryl Dunkley
Oak Bluff Ranch
Weatherford, TX