Forage Cubes - Just Add Water

Recently, we've had several horses arrive for rehab that are fed alfalfa cubes as their sole diet.  There’s a lot of controversy over the "perfect way to feed" our horses - and we certainly aren’t claiming to know what “perfect” is!  After all, each horse has his own special and unique needs. 

But, if you are going to feed alfalfa cubes, we HIGHLY recommend they be soaked in water before feeding for three main reasons: 1) choke, 2) tooth wear, and 3) dehydration.

Choke is a common enemy to all horses that bolt down their grain.  But alfalfa and Timothy cubes are the perfect size to cause an obstruction.  So, it’s critical these cubes break up quickly and easily for your horse. 

Quickly and easily is not how anyone who’s tried it would describe breaking these cubes up!  They’re hard as bricks!  Think about how hard (and long) your horse will have to chew to break them up in small enough pieces to safely swallow!  Now think of all the wear and tear on your horse’s teeth - teeth that were designed to bite off tender grass shoots, not chew threw the equivalent of plaster chunks.

And these cubes aren’t just difficult to chew – they are very dry.  Look at the pictures and you’ll see that close to 3/4 of a whole bucket of water was added to the cubes. 

After just 4 hours they crumble nicely in your hand.  But, if you don't ADD water to the cubes, the cubes will TAKE IT from the stomach and intestines for digestion.  This increases the risk of colic and dehydration.

In a nutshell, if you're going to feed cubed alfalfa, Timothy or any other forage, please remember to soak first!  Whenever possible, start with smaller sized cubes - alfalfa comes in both regular cattle size as well as minis.  This ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure!

Choke – Cause, Treatment & Prevention

It's rare but it happens.  Unlike choke in humans, which blocks the trachea, your horse can still breathe, because the blockage is in his esophagus.  If he is unable to swallow, you may see or feel a bulge in the neck, and he may show signs of distress. 

When it does happen, it’s important to keep your horse calm and, if you are comfortable giving IV shots, administer a sedative.  The sedative will reduce the involuntary spasms of the esophageal muscles.  Often times this, along with an increase in salivation, allows the blockage to pass without further treatment.

If that doesn’t work, get to your veterinarian as soon as possible to avoid complications like a rupture in the esophagus or aspiration pneumonia.  Your vet can use a stomach tube to slowly empty the contents of the esophagus (see photo below) and administer antibiotics and pain relievers if needed.

Here are some good tips for preventing a choking incident…

• avoid pellet feeds
• soften alfalfa cubes by soaking in water before feeding
• feed hard treats, including carrots & apples, in bite-sized pieces
• good equine dental care
• lots of fresh clean drinking water 24/7

If you have a dainty, slow eater, these tips will probably be enough.  But if you have a horse that “bolts” his food down, you may want to slow him down.  Several large rocks added to his feed bucket is an old but effective trick.  There are also compartment feeders like the one shown below.

If your horses are like mine, feeding time is their favorite time of day.  Keep it safe for them as well with a little prevention.