Conference noted::equitation

    We have 2 horses that are on wet feed for the rest of their lives.  One
    is a 22 year old quarter horse who was very prone to colic and the
    other is a 28 year old standardbred who had something caught in his
    throat once, he is kind of a chow hound and eats really fast.  Ever 
    since feeding them mash, we started about 5 years ago, the QH has only
    coliced a couple of times, as opposed to 3-4 times a year and the
    standardbred has never choked again, not that we've seen anyways.
    It just seems that its easier for them to digest, and if your horse
    has choked once, it may happen again.  Good luck!

    My experience with chokes has been that the horse was either a
    cribber or a chow hound as in .1 or sometimes both.  My friend
    that has the horse with both feeds the mash and actually gives
    the horse a handful at a time, its a good thing she has the time
    to do this.  A grain choke is usually because they eat too much
    too fast, sometimes a clean rock or brick in their feed tub helps
    to slow them down.  Grass clippings from mowing cause chokes because
    they tend to grab a large mouthful all at once.  I've been with
    the above mentioned horse when she had a grass choke just from
    grazing and the grass was not very long.  So I quess some horses
    are more prone than others.

    
    Someone I know has a horse that chokes.  She uses large rocks in
    the feedtub to prevent bolting of food.  This horse always choked
    on PELLETS so her vet recommended only sweetfeed.  I guess the
    pellets swell up when they enter the throat and cause some horses
    to choke. 
    
    Ask your vet.

    The swelling pellet explains why my vet has us soaking the pellets. 
    That way they do their swelling before he's eaten them!   
    
    thanks,
    Mary