Choke protocol

[SonnysMom]

We have a horse that chokes regularly at the farm. Very funky teeth not able to be “fixed” by dentist. Mid 20s. Full scoop of feed 2xs a day plus maybe a lunch feed during winter. He is fed Purina Equine Senior and lunch is either Omolene 400 or soaked timothy pellets.
BO and BM have differing opinions.
Do you soak the feed until it is the consistency of something between mashed potatoes/potato soup or do you wet the feed and immediately feed?
What works for you and what does your vet recommend?
Considering switching to Purina Senior Active but still with the 2 different protocols of either wet and immediately feed or soak and get soupy. One party feels like that soaking the feed makes it “gummy” and horse more likely to not eat or choke.
Other party feels like the potato consistency makes them less likely to choke. This party feels that the “not eating” is due to being fed too late after lessons and being impatient to go out to grass rather than eat or show mornings and well need I say more about show mornings and change in routine/too much going on in barn?

Anyone have thoughts?

FYI I am the BM. I hope I have not tipped my hand where I lean.

[Kyrabee]

I don’t know except that some of those mixed rations (balancers and the like), especially if they have molasses can set up like concrete if they aren’t wet enough. I choked my horse once with insufficiently wet ration balancer. I would make it as soupy as you can that horse can still ‘eat’.

Susan

[lenapesadie]

My vets have voted soupy.

My old horse said soupy was not appetizing.

[ThreeWishes]

Soupy. And don’t immediately feed. Lots of feeds take a bit to break down. I’d choose the most delicious senior feed and wet it. Let it sit a bit and if it’s thick wet it a bit more.

[tabula_rashah]

Mashed potato consistency fed at ground level in a large pan. I use hot water so I can get that consistency without letting it soak forever.

although I suppose the real answer is whatever it takes to get them to eat it lol.

[ThreeWishes]

The only gummy wet pelleted foods I’ve seen have been the beige ones. A nice senior feed like Seminole wellness low starch is dark breaks down quickly and crumbles to a nice consistency

[IPEsq]

My horses do not do gummy texture. At all. Some horses don’t mind gummy soup.

I’ve got one horse who doesn’t get to eat much grain, but he sometimes has a larger volume of meds to hide in his feed. So, he gets that meal soaked to incorporate the meds and increase volume without calories. But he doesn’t eat gummy food. So I’ve found feeds that break down to a more crumbly texture. I’m not sure why as the main ingredients aren’t any different than others I’ve tried and could have gelling factors (flax seeds for example). But wet and crumbly he eats right up.

His top vote goes to Tribute Wholesome Blends Senior. I’ve also used Triple Crown Complete in the past with not quite as good results but way better than the texture of Senior. I had to soak Purina Senior for another horse I took care of for a while, and he would not eat it once it got gummy—I had to feed right away. He didn’t have choke issues but he did have old man teeth and tended to eat more and drop less when it was wet. But if he took too long to eat and it got gummy, it was a nope. For one with choke, I would want to soak enough that the feed is really broken down.

[bingbingbing]

I have a horse that was a chronic choker. She gets no hay and lives on soaked triple crown senior gold and timothy pellets four times a day. It does not end up soupy, she would not eat it. but it is soaked until everything is mushy and soft.

[NaturallyHappy]

I’m going w it depends. Not much help, I know. It seems that some choke on a consistency others don’t. That said, I agree w the poster above-I’ve seen some choke on Equine Senior because it was so sticky. Soupy is always good, if they will eat it that way.

[ThreeWishes]

Like this ?

image

I’ve had multiple senior horses and ones that tended to choke and I agree with the person that said you make it the consistency the horse devours.

[bingbingbing]

Probably close to that. Not any wetter. The feed is all soft. I feed in a big flat plastic “pan” so less likely to jam too much down her throat. She is quite the ambitious eater.

[WildGooseChase]

Soak as much as the horse will allow, and gradually increase the amount of water until it becomes pretty soft. If his teeth cannot meet up, he will struggle to move the food from the front to the back of the mouth and start the digestion process. They work like assembly lines so to speak.

I’ve never seen a soy based feed get “gummy.” Tribute Kalm n EZ, Senior, and Senior Sport all soak down really well and are still appetizing to my picky eaters.

Edited to add:You can also use a feeder that will slow them down, like a Pre-Vent feeder, or just using a good ol’ rock in a big rubber feeder. ALWAYS feed on the ground as it’s the way they are meant to eat. Eating higher up can mess with how they swallow.

[cutter99]

Soupy, and make sure the horse is being fed from a feed pan on the floor.

[Bonnie2]

As wet as he will eat it. I’ve had some that would slurp soup and some that turned food down medium moist. Except for the hottest weather, you can set up his dinner to soak at breakfast and vice versa. Then you don’t have to wait for it to soften.

[mmeqcenter]

I’ve found well-soaked and soupy-sloppy to be the best consistency to prevent choking. However, if the horse won’t eat it, you have to go with the consistency the horse will eat. At least give the very wet soup a few tries before deciding they just won’t touch it. Many often will turn up their nose but then give in when they realize you’re not going to give them a different option.

[joiedevie99]

On the ground in a pain, mashed potato consistency if the horse will tolerate it. If the particular feed gets gross at that consistency, try a different feed.

[Bogie]

@tabula_rashah

Mashed potato consistency fed at ground level in a large pan

We have a senior horse with a history of choke at our barn and that’s how we feed her.

[victoriakent]

I have one that chokes who is also a picky snob AND a hard keeper. Here is what we do for her daily no-whip extra sassy latte with a sprinkle of fat frappe insert major eyeroll

Purina Ultium on the bottom of the bucket, Proelite Omega Advantage on the TOP along with her supplements on top of that. Hose quickly on the shower setting, wait 10 mins for bottom grain to soften. This allows the sweet feed grain on the bottom to get more water and fluff up a bit more, while keeping the Omega Advantage to still get wet but not turn to oatmeal soup. The Omega Advantage breaks down a lot faster than her grain, but it REALLY helps keep the weight on her. Putting her sweet feed at the bottom motivates her to eat the less fun things on top so she can get to the yummy stuff on the bottom. If we in any way switch this order, forget it, she’s not finishing her meal. If I put the Omega on the bottom it gets too soupy for her refined palate.

I’ve spent a lot of time trying to figure out the right mix. The less physical grain I have to feed her, the less likely she is to choke, so adding the extra calories with the Omega Advantage without a ton of bulk/more grain really helped us. And since she is picky and not very food driven having less food in her bucket means a higher chance she will finish it.

With other horses I have done a pump of oil as well to help keep things slick going down, however picky-mare gives oil a 1 star review.

On the other hand when I get desperate and she is just being a brat, I’ve bought jars of crushed peppermint they sell for cookie decorating and have sprinkled it on her meal.

The little food critic is lucky I love her.

[sascha]

I’ve had cats that have taken up daytime residence in the neighbour’s house, but this is a first for me. Just please make sure my mare is returned to her stall by the time I get to the barn every evening, ok?

10 years of this nonsense. 10 years. Mind you, she’s a hoover at the moment, but I am not looking forward to attempting to feed her in her dotage. Should have been named Goldilocks.

[SMF11]

All 12 horses (I board retirees) get either soaked TC Sr or soaked Ultium. I prep the next meal by putting the filled feedbags in a Coleman cooler filled about 1/4 full of water. The cooler ensures the feed stays cool and doesn’t ferment in summer, and doesn’t freeze in winter. Excess water drains out when the feedbag is lifted out of the cooler. The consistency is of wet mashed potatoes. 99% of horses are fine with this.