Preventing choke

[3equines]

I have a HUGE problem on my hands. When packing into the National Park I have to feed pelleted feed or alfalfa hay cubes (weed-seed-free stuff). So, I've been acclimating my horses to the occasional bit of alfalfa pellets, and Peach chokes up on even 2 cups of pelleted feed. It is very scary to see this happen. I tried wetting it down (the pellets were practiaclly submerged) but not soaking it, and she still choked up. The other horses are fine. I soaked some overnigght and it expanded to a mash, and Peach was just fine.... BUT, in the backcountry, I won't have time to completely soak the feed before feeding it.

So, what to do? I am going to see what happens with the alflalfa hay cubes, but these can cause choke just as bad. I think Peach gobbles her feed because she is at the low rank in the herd and is used to eating on the fly (not that you can tell by looking at her belly!).

My only thought so far is to just feed her a handful at a time. I am wondering if there is a way to acclimate her to eating more SLOWLY, maybe removing her from sight of the other horses? It is hard to take any more chances after having gone through the choke episodes.

[WashingtonBay]

Huh - It really hasn't been my experience that it takes that long for it to turn to a mash. It'll turn to mash instantly if the water is hot, if that's an option.

I've been feeding ours some Timothy or Orchard pellets, and I pour it in, with a good amount of water on top, not just practically submerged, really submerged, and feed it that way, as a soup, right away... none of mine are known to be particularly prone to choking, but if there's enough water in it, I think you're a lot safer.

[westmanfarrier]

Put a few fist size round rocks in the feed pan/bucket so she can't gobble so fast.

[3equines]

I think i will try a combination of all of the above: rocks in the bucket, cover the feed with water, and separate her from the other horses.

[Clarzoo]

One of the Friesians at the farm I work at is a chronic choker- he is unable to even eat hay any more. We just add water to his pelleted feed, enough so it is like a soup. The pellets almost instantly fall apart, it only take a few seconds. In the winter I will use warm water for him, but the rest of the year we use cold water and it works just fine.

[vicklynn]

My question is, do you feed low to the ground or in a hanging bucket?

The reason I ask is, City chocked once, but it was from a hanging bucket. I will never feed the horses except where they can eat their grain floor level.

I hope you get it figured out and it works for you.

Slop is a good thing!! LOL

[luvs2ride1979]

Yup, feed from the ground, rocks in the bucket, and add some oil to the pellets (just water with cubes). Separating her so she's calmer at feeding time should help too.

[MyMia]

Mia used to choke on her food, so what we did was feed her on the ground with a round feed pan. At the time, she was getting more grain so I fed her from two pans so it wasn't deep enough to take a huge mouthful at once--she had to "nibble" it. Now she gets 2qts at a time and I can put it in one pan and she's fine (knock on wood!). I also feed her in her stall away from other horses so she's less inclined to bolt her food.

Hope this helps!

[3equines]

Thanks, guys. I allready feed from the ground with a round feeed pan. I don't feed concentrates very often, so haven't experimented much yet. We are riding 20 miles today, so I will try feeding the alfalfa cubes tonight. I have rounded up some good-sized rocks;) to mix in with the feed, I am going to try soaking it for 30 minutes, too.

I have feed the alfalfa pellets by the handful when calling the horses in from the pasture. Several times Peach has tried to take my whole hand in her mounth - trying to wolf down as much as she can before the other horses barge in. So I think her problem comes from her low rank in the herd.