Choking on haylage but fine with hay

[Becca W]

Hi, my new horse has started having a bit of a choking episode after he eats haylage, where he looks very uncomfortable and lies down trying to cough it up and lots of snot comes out his nose but he never does it with hay, has anybody else had this issue? he's a very slow eater so im pretty sure its nothing to do with eating his haylage quicker. I do suspect he may struggle with ulcers but haven't had him scoped yet, but can't see how that would effect it, he's just come of the track and windsucks but this is much better now he's got 24/7 turnout. Obviously he no longer gets haylage but just wondering if anyone has also had this issue. Thank you!

 

[ycbm]

Is he taking bigger mouthfuls of haylage because he likes it more?

Is there a big difference in texture between your haylage and your hay?

Are they made of the same type of grass?

 

[Becca W]

He eats it the same as his hay, my other two are absolutely fine with both.
Very possible that he struggles with the texture as I believe its the same type of grass, but it is shorter and finer so whether is does stick together when he's chewing it, he does seem to over process his food, but he also does everything very slowly but I might try it from a haynet incase it is that he's taking too big of a mouth full, Thank you!

 

[ycbm]

When we're his teeth last done, BW? If the texture is very different then I wonder if he can chew a coarser stalk more easily than a finer one.

 

[be positive]

When we're his teeth last done, BW? If the texture is very different then I wonder if he can chew a coarser stalk more easily than a finer one.

Teeth were my first thought, I had a pony come in that had a history of similar episodes resulting in mild colic, the owners vet had not even looked in his mouth, when he did similar with me a few days after arriving his mouth was looked at and his teeth were in a real state after attention to them he didn't have any more problems.
He may well have ulcers and the acidity in haylage is higher, in some more than others, so worth looking at investigating but I don't see why he would be choking if he had them.

 

[meleeka]

Haylage is softer so could mean less chewing. Definitely get teeth looked at under sedation.

 

[Becca W]

Thanks everyone! he's not due the dentist till summer but ill have a word with him about it