Best chaff for ulcers

[Random stranger here]

Hi everyone. My vet said that altho alfalfa chaff is good, his chaff is quite sharp. I was wondering if anyone knows of any soft chaff that's good for ulcers?
Tia

 

[Tiddlypom]

Soaked alfalfa pellets to make a mash?

Alfalfa Pellets | Dengie Horse Feeds

Contains pure alfalfa and are a high-fibre source for horses, ponies and other animals, such as cattle, sheep, goats and camelids.

dengie.com

 

[Highmileagecob]

Or stir some water through the chaff to soften it.

 

[Muddywellies]

I use Thunderbrooks Healthy Herbal chaff

 

[LEC]

I normally do Dengie - tbh I don’t worry about it all too much as long as it covers the stomach and is molasses free fibre. I feed it before riding and travel automatically whether I know they have been eating grass or hay so they have a routine.

 

[Horseysheepy]

Spillers fibre lite is molasses free and is a very short chop and soft. Has a little alfalfa in it.

 

[doodle]

I'm going to go against the grain that chaff is good for ulcers. My horse is definitely reactive to chaff, even if soft and what should be good for him. He knows gets fast fiber or soothe and gain in varying ratios at various times and no chaff.

 

[Steerpike]

Spillers Alfa pro fibre is nice and soft, I swapped onto it after using dengie Alfa a

 

[Spirit7]

I don’t think I would feed alfalfa to horse with ulcers- IME it can cause issues as a product. I’d look for a fibre alternative like fast fibre….or maybe hay so soft if you have to feed a chaff

 

[Sossigpoker]

They recommend alfalfa because it has a high-ish calcium content. But it's quite sharp am scratchy so not something I'd feed to a horse with ulcers. I'd feed something softer or just good hay. You could feed calcium carbonate as a supplement if you wanted

 

[Horseysheepy]

Chewing stimulates the release of saliva which helps buffer acid in stomach. so I would personally want to add a bit of something 'chewy' rather than a mash on its own.

 

[Sossigpoker]

Chewing stimulates the release of saliva which helps buffer acid in stomach. so I would personally want to add a bit of something 'chewy' rather than a mash on its own.

This. And also a dry material like chaff or hay will better protect against the acid splash during exercise

 

[LEC]

I hate chaff as a product - think it’s worthless. But useful for ulcer horses as sits in stomach and coats it especially when you look at scope photos of it. When you look at the history of chaff it was invented to be able to feed in nosebags over the horses head with working horses like army horses and taxi cab horses which makes sense as chopped up you can get more product in the bag and easier for the horse to eat.

 

[Horseysheepy]

Also to stop horses bolting their feed. Rather than putting large stones in feed so they have to eat around them like my old boss used too!

 

[Snow Falcon]

I think it's Dengie that does an Ulser chaff. I had a couple of bags as they were damaged so reduced from Mole Valley. It was nice.

 

[dreamcometrue]

Mine has just been treated for ulcers and is now on Baileys Light Chaff (oat straw and alfalfa) and Baileys Lo Cal (contains alfalfa, probiotics etc and accredited by BETA for ulcer prone horses).

 

[lauragreen85]

Dengie hi fi molasses free, honey chop lite are both soft and no molasses in them. We use them before riding with a syringe of ponease to stop acid splashes

 

[Bellalily]

Alfa A Oil has made my horse comfortable almost overnight. Apparently it mops up the acid.

 

[Spirit7]

Alfa A Oil has made my horse comfortable almost overnight. Apparently it mops up the acid.

That’s the calcium in it, limestone probabay does the same at £0 cost. I would be more interested to know why my horse had an acid issue in the first place personally and what had caused it as adding feed without removing any makes no sense to me as just covering an issue (not saying this is what you have done as your post does not advise on why your horse had acid issues).

 

[Spirit7]

Dengie hi fi molasses free, honey chop lite are both soft and no molasses in them. We use them before riding with a syringe of ponease to stop acid splashes

not sure i would feed rapeseed oil or wheat straw to a horse that has had ulcers or has acid issues. I would be looking at why they have issues first. It’s not normal for a healthy horse to have gut issues.

 

[Spirit7]

Mine has just been treated for ulcers and is now on Baileys Light Chaff (oat straw and alfalfa) and Baileys Lo Cal (contains alfalfa, probiotics etc and accredited by BETA for ulcer prone horses).

Personally would not touch these feeds for horses that have had ulcer treatment as ingredient are aggravating. I would talk to your vet and if this is what they advised I would ask why as cereals, alfafa and rape seed products are big NOs for me.

 

[dreamcometrue]

Personally would not touch these feeds for horses that have had ulcer treatment as ingredient are aggravating. I would talk to your vet and if this is what they advised I would ask why as cereals, alfafa and rape seed products are big NOs for me.

What are you on about?

Cereals? Where are the cereals in the feed I have described?
Alfalfa is recommended for horses with ulcers as it reduces acid in the stomach.
No rape seed products either.

3 out of 3 incorrect.

 

[Spirit7]

What are you on about?

Cereals? Where are the cereals in the feed I have described?
Alfalfa is recommended for horses with ulcers as it reduces acid in the stomach.

Oats are a cereal. Oat straw is an ingredient. Who is Alfalfa recommended by exactly ? The company that markets it I would suggest. Same way The Laminitis Trust sponsor feeds with molasses. As long as your horse is happy and you are I’m not sure my opinion matters.

 

[dreamcometrue]

Oats are a cereal. Oat straw is an ingredient. Who is Alfalfa recommended by exactly ? The company that markets it I would suggest. Same way The Laminitis Trust sponsor feeds with molasses. As long as your horse is happy and you are I’m not sure my opinion matters.

Oat straw is not a cereal. You appear to have no expertise in this area.

 

[Spirit7]

Oat straw is not a cereal. You appear to have no expertise in this area.

OK what ever you think. One thing I’ve learned is not to argue with people like you. Have a great day.

 

[dreamcometrue]

OK what ever you think. One thing I’ve learned is not to argue with people like you. Have a great day.

Have a great day yourself. I am glad you have learned something

 

[Spirit7]

Have a great day yourself. I am glad you have learned something

 

[WelshD]

Everyone has their own favourite products and opinions about what is and isn't 'ok' but at the end of the day horses don't read ingredient labels and I am very results led rather than swayed by others.

What works for some does not work for others

My pony has Dengie Healthy tummy, he does really well on an alfalfa based chaff. He also gets fast fibre pretty much ad lib, this regime works for him

Dengie senior is a chaff that is softer than most if that helps though.

 

[Spirit7]

As I said I wouldn’t argue with someone like you - However as polite as I am ( you come across very aggressive and with a point to prove) you have not educated me Oat straw is a cereal straw and where oats come from hence I would never feed any cereal type product to horse with stomach issues but if you are happy to believe oats and it’s straw are not cereals you crack on. I do hope your horse recovers and is doing well.

 

[Spirit7]

Everyone has their own favourite products and opinions about what is and isn't 'ok' but at the end of the day horses don't read ingredient labels and I am very results led rather than swayed by others.

What works for some does not work for others

My pony has Dengie Healthy tummy, he does really well on an alfalfa based chaff. He also gets fast fibre pretty much ad lib, this regime works for him

Dengie senior is a chaff that is softer than most if that helps though.

I totally agree. Horses for courses but it’s a forum. We give opinions one would hope based on valid experience and training.