Hay replacement

[teddypops]

What does everyone feed to their oldies who can no longer manage hay? My 31 yo has all his teeth and eats grass well, but they are totally smooth now. I haven’t yet started feeding hay as I still have lots of grass but when I had him in today, he was picking at a haynet while I groomed etc and he was really struggling to eat it. He has only just had his teeth checked so there are no problems there. Suggestions please!

 

[mavandkaz]

My little oldie (about 34) hasn't been able to manage hay for the last couple of years.
She now gets a scoop of fast fibre and a bucket of readigrass. Last year she did also get a small haynet of hay that you would buy for guinea pigs as it is quite finely chopped. She is only a little mini Shetland so wasn't too bad cost wise. I think this winter I might try soaking those hay blocks, as that might be finely chopped enough

 

[teddypops]

My little oldie (about 34) hasn't been able to manage hay for the last couple of years.
She now gets a scoop of fast fibre and a bucket of readigrass. Last year she did also get a small haynet of hay that you would buy for guinea pigs as it is quite finely chopped. She is only a little mini Shetland so wasn't too bad cost wise. I think this winter I might try soaking those hay blocks, as that might be finely chopped enough

Thanks, will look into those options.

 

[YorksG]

We've never had to totally replace hay for oldies, but have used soaked grass nuts for oldies who had trouble getting nutrition out of hay, a large trug with well soaked grass nuts left in the stable overnight has worked out well.

 

[windand rain]

Grass tastic by emerald green is a soft grass chaff they also do grass and alfalfa nuts that are 100% grass or alfalfa

 

[Polos Mum]

I kept one going for years who couldn't eat hay at all with soaked grass nuts. great big tubs of it with tonnes of water - they soon get used to not scoffing it like a hard feed and I bought a pallet load which what quite cost effective.

I'd tried - oats, barley rings, all kinds of conditioning feeds, linseed, sugar beet etc etc (close to trying rolled up £20 notes !!) grass nuts was the only thing that worked for him

 

[rabatsa]

Soaked sugarbeet, grass nuts and high fibre cubes kept my gummy lad going for a couple of years. I soaked the subarbeet first with extra water and added the grass nuts and high fibre cubes just before feeding as they did not take long to break down.

 

[ycbm]

Spillers speedy mash is vitamin and mineral supplemented so you wouldn't need to feed a balancer or supplements. Low calorie so you can feed high bulk, and it fluffs up to big volume in a couple of minutes soaking. £10 for 20 kg

 

[3OldPonies]

I used to give mine a big tub trug of fast fibre and sugar beet.

 

[teddypops]

Ok thanks everyone. Lots of options to consider!

 

[sport horse]

Would steaming the hay soften it enough for them to eat?

 

[Hollychops]

Another vote for grass nuts. I have a 38 yr old mare who has no teeth at the bottom both side and the tops ones arent too good either. She still manages hay but its a case of gum it, spit it out and quite often eat it again, we always find rolled up bits of hay in her bed. My equine dentist recommended grass nuts, sugar beet (in small quantities) and regular washing out of the mouth to get rid of stuck food/hay. She manages short grass better than long and softer hay. Her companion, 26 yrs, is on the same diet as she is starting to struggle with hay abit, plus she has caries and i wont put her through the op to get rid of the teeth as they dont cause any problems for her. She loves getting 2 feeds a day instead of just 1 minuscule one at night.

They are both looking very well, in fact possibly too well!

 

[FemelleReynard]

Plenty of well soaked fast fibre and the Rowan Barbary mashes for my oldies with no teeth. They've never looked better.