Choking

hershey · 06-14-2007, 04:17 PM

Well... about a month or two ago my horse choked. I was worried because he had never choked before and I found it a little strange.The vets said he was eating his food too fast so they put a brick in his food bucket. Then I thought that maybe it was just a one time thing that would never happen again.... well, I was wrong.

About two weeks ago, I found out that he choked again. This time I was way more concerned. Once again I asked some people around the barn why he choked and they said he was eating his food to fast. I told them that he had the brick in there, but they said he might be switching buckets with his paddock buddy (whose bucket doesn't have a brick) so they put a brick in the other one.

Previously, my horse had been at a different barn where he was out in a huge pasture with about 25 horses and he was dominate (spelling?) Now, he is not dominate, but not one that gets picked on. I'm just wondering why most horses do choke and if there would be any other reason for him choking. Does anyone know anything to help prevent choking? Thanks!

Blistering Winds · 06-14-2007, 04:23 PM

take him out of the herd situation.

A horse will eat faster and not "chew" properly when he's trying to eat what he can before the higher horse comes and takes it away....

water it down too...that I've heard helps to a point as well.

Julia Gulia · 06-14-2007, 04:23 PM

He could have a problem with his teeth...My horse had a fractured tooth and couldn't chew his food properly...he would get it stuck and would cough to clear it. Once the bad tooth came out...he was fine.
Also...if your horse is being fed with another horse then he will eat much faster...they want to eat it all so the other horse can't get it. Could he be fed by himself? That way...he can take his time with his dinner and not worry about some robber stealing it.

beauxdatious · 06-14-2007, 04:34 PM

Well I am at this barn with her - and jessica you could maybe put him in a stall... TW is dominant btw?

Chester · 06-14-2007, 04:39 PM

Are you feeding your horses dinner wet? We had a pony choke on just a handful of dry pellets, there after we fed him wet dinner and he did not choke again.

beauxdatious · 06-14-2007, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chester

Are you feeding your horses dinner wet? We had a pony choke on just a handful of dry pellets, there after we fed him wet dinner and he did not choke again.

Hershey is on dry pellets... I can tell you that much.

Chester · 06-14-2007, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beauxdatious

Hershey is on dry pellets... I can tell you that much.

In that case I would advice soaking them. If he is bolting his food then he is not getting as much saliva mixed with it to help them go down. Wetting them will help them to slide down and reduce the chance of it happening again.

jgrinols · 06-14-2007, 05:50 PM

IMO, it really depends on the horse more than the type of feed. Some people swear that beet pulp will cause choke more than anything else, especially dry. We feed our horses dry beet pulp and only two have choked, the same two that have choked on all the other kinds of feed at their old barns.

Would it help to feed smaller amounts more often?

HorseGurly143 · 06-14-2007, 08:26 PM

How can you tell if your horse has choked if you didn't see it? Or did you see it?

paso4ever · 06-14-2007, 08:59 PM

what kind of horse do you have?? i've had my arabs choke before and what i did was put the bucket on the floor (my vet reccomended it, for some reason it helps them so they dont choke) and have a brick in the buckets so they eat slower

also arabs supposidly choke more than other breeds what breed do you have? i dont think the feed matters its just how fast they eat ususally. Hope it doesnt happen again

06-14-2007, 04:17 PM	#1
hershey Full Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 102 Images: 4	Choking Well... about a month or two ago my horse choked. I was worried because he had never choked before and I found it a little strange.The vets said he was eating his food too fast so they put a brick in his food bucket. Then I thought that maybe it was just a one time thing that would never happen again.... well, I was wrong. About two weeks ago, I found out that he choked again. This time I was way more concerned. Once again I asked some people around the barn why he choked and they said he was eating his food to fast. I told them that he had the brick in there, but they said he might be switching buckets with his paddock buddy (whose bucket doesn't have a brick) so they put a brick in the other one. Previously, my horse had been at a different barn where he was out in a huge pasture with about 25 horses and he was dominate (spelling?) Now, he is not dominate, but not one that gets picked on. I'm just wondering why most horses do choke and if there would be any other reason for him choking. Does anyone know anything to help prevent choking? Thanks!

06-14-2007, 04:23 PM	#2
Blistering Winds Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Augusta, Kansas Posts: 31,724 Images: 814 Blog Entries: 16	take him out of the herd situation. A horse will eat faster and not "chew" properly when he's trying to eat what he can before the higher horse comes and takes it away.... water it down too...that I've heard helps to a point as well. __________________ 20 lb club: New year Start: 175 Goal: 130 Current: 158 Total loss this year 17 lbs.

06-14-2007, 04:23 PM	#3
Julia Gulia Senior Member+ Join Date: May 2007 Location: GA Posts: 362	He could have a problem with his teeth...My horse had a fractured tooth and couldn't chew his food properly...he would get it stuck and would cough to clear it. Once the bad tooth came out...he was fine. Also...if your horse is being fed with another horse then he will eat much faster...they want to eat it all so the other horse can't get it. Could he be fed by himself? That way...he can take his time with his dinner and not worry about some robber stealing it. __________________ Every horse deserves to be someones favourite Horse!

06-14-2007, 04:34 PM	#4
beauxdatious Senior Member+ Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: My house! Posts: 1,773 Images: 73 Blog Entries: 2	Well I am at this barn with her - and jessica you could maybe put him in a stall... TW is dominant btw? __________________ Together We Can Jump The Moon Feelin Beaudatious?

06-14-2007, 04:39 PM	#5
Chester Senior Member+ Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: inland of the coral sea Posts: 9,204 Images: 731	Are you feeding your horses dinner wet? We had a pony choke on just a handful of dry pellets, there after we fed him wet dinner and he did not choke again. __________________ Aussie Aussie Aussie OI OI OI "We're all members of the outback club, we don't back down and we don't give up" Lee Kernaghan "Good friends are worth more than money any day" Adam Brand Is it full moon time again? Did the cereal truck overturn and fruitloops got spilt?

06-14-2007, 05:50 PM	#8
jgrinols Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Minnesota Posts: 339 Images: 32	IMO, it really depends on the horse more than the type of feed. Some people swear that beet pulp will cause choke more than anything else, especially dry. We feed our horses dry beet pulp and only two have choked, the same two that have choked on all the other kinds of feed at their old barns. Would it help to feed smaller amounts more often?

06-14-2007, 08:26 PM	#9
HorseGurly143 Senior Member+ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bellingham, Washington, USA Posts: 1,809 Images: 323 Blog Entries: 1	How can you tell if your horse has choked if you didn't see it? Or did you see it? __________________ ~ Caitlin ~ You may know how to stay on a horse, but do you know how to ride?

06-14-2007, 08:59 PM	#10
paso4ever Senior Member+ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: mn Posts: 2,029 Images: 83	what kind of horse do you have?? i've had my arabs choke before and what i did was put the bucket on the floor (my vet reccomended it, for some reason it helps them so they dont choke) and have a brick in the buckets so they eat slower also arabs supposidly choke more than other breeds what breed do you have? i dont think the feed matters its just how fast they eat ususally. Hope it doesnt happen again __________________ Wings, who needs them?? i ride a Paso!

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