ANSWER:
The recommended course is to purchase
different roughage without the dust/mold that causes
horses to cough.
Since many people are unable or unwilling to
purchase different feed, watering the hay down works but of course only
until freeze-up in our northern climate.
Steps to follow for round bales are:
(1) Always peel the moldy
outside of round bales and dispose of by burning or composting. The
outside of the bale has the worst mold, unless the hay was baled to
damp, then the mold is evident through out the entire bale. If mold is
evident even after peeling some outside layers, then you must buy
different feed!!! Such mold is often but not always evident (greenish,
bluish, grayish) as you keep trying to dispose of the outside layers.
(2) If it is dust causing the coughing, it
will be throughout the entire bale from cutting the crop to low to the
ground, hay came from a field next to a busy dirt road where every
passing vehicle churned up dust that drifted onto it, etc.
(3) The hay should be forked to the horses
so it is spread out on the ground so that the Dust can dissipate as they
walk through it, paw it and air currants can help remove it. Never feed
dusty/moldy bales in round bale feeders as the horses bury their noses
in it as they eat. Never feed such hay in solid type hay bunks where
again, the dust/mold cannot dissipate.
(4) Some hays may contain
"Allergens" from certain vegetation and weeds. Such Allergens
will affect certain horses no matter what you do.
(5) NOTE: It is very easy to distinguish
between Dust or Mold. By disturbing the bale of hay with your hand or
with a pitch fork, dust goes "Poof" and quickly disappears. Mold Spores
on the other hand, travels upwards and outwards like SMOKE before
settling. Very easy to do once you get the hang of what your trying to
determine. Really Moldy hay, you would swear when you hit the bale with
your hand or whatever, that smoke is traveling up!
(6) Water by gently spraying the feed once
it has been fed. Feed only enough for that day's feed.
Wet feed must be consumed within 24 hours as left over feed quickly
spoils. Spoiled feed must be disposed of before horses eat it.