Question

Sadie is my 22-year-old, 1,200-lb (545-kg) Quarter Horse mare. I feed her a senior feed and about 8 lb (3.6 kg) of hay a day. She has access to pasture year-round for about eight hours daily. Sadie has a history of choke, so I wet her feed. I purchased a special feeder that is supposed to reduce the risk of choke, but I am still worried about her choking. Do I have to wet her feed once I start using this slow-feeder?

Answer

Once a horse suffers from choke, it can become more susceptible to it in the future. Wetting Sadie’s feed is a wise first step in managing her choke.

The feeder you mentioned is designed to safely manage horses that have a predisposition to choking.  The feeder accomplishes this by (1) slowing down a horse that eats too fast (also called bolting), and (2) preventing a horse from taking large bites that might not be chewed thoroughly before swallowing. If your horse choked for either of these reasons, this feeder could be effective for feeding Sadie and you might not have to dampen the feed. Generally, horses with chronic choke are more likely to choke on forage such as hay rather than feed.

If the reason Sadie choked was a painful mouth and you have taken care of that by having her teeth floated, then this feeder should work without dampening the feed. This feeder will not help Sadie if she is missing teeth or needs other dental work.

I cannot guarantee that this feeder will prevent Sadie from choking again. If you are willing to try it, my suggestion would be to start with a very small amount of feed in the feeder at first and then gradually increase to an entire meal. You may want to consider feeding three times a day to keep each meal small.

Horses with recurrent choke should be examined by a veterinarian to determine the site and extent of any esophageal problems, which will greatly help to best manage your feeding program and reduce the chances of future choke.