Hay replacer - Fast Fibre?

[wiglet]

Quick question - my horse is struggling to eat hay atm due to dental issues. Will be going to vets surgery next week for investigations but, in the meantime, what would be the best thing to use as a hay repalcer?
Can fast fibre be used as a total hay replacer? It says on their website it can be used as a partial hay replacer. I ideally want something I can soak then leave a big trug full in the stable overnight.
Suggestions welcome!

 

[cauda equina]

I've been using Haycare for this - it's marketed as a hay replacer and has no additives so can be fed in large quantities (6kg a day for mine)
The only downside is it gets scoffed so quickly so he's been on lots of little feeds

Hay Replacer for Horses | HayCare

Quick soaking hay replacer - high fibre Timothy grass for horses with poor teeth.

www.simplesystemhorsefeeds.co.uk

 

[Highmileagecob]

Any dried grass product is also a decent option. I damp it well and mix it with soaked fast fibre to bulk it out. I also use Silvermoor's veteran haylage, which is very palatable. Be prepared for the expense though, it's not as cheap as baled forage.

 

[TGM]

Fast Fibre is fairly low in calories so great for laminitics and good doers. However, if your horse is big and/or you are wanting to maintain or increase condition then soaked grass nuts are more calorific and will usually work out more cost effective.

 

[tda]

I've been using Haycare for this - it's marketed as a hay replacer and has no additives so can be fed in large quantities (6kg a day for mine)
The only downside is it gets scoffed so quickly so he's been on lots of little feeds

Hay Replacer for Horses | HayCare

Quick soaking hay replacer - high fibre Timothy grass for horses with poor teeth.

www.simplesystemhorsefeeds.co.uk

I've used this, good product that doesn't go to total mush

 

[Sossigpoker]

Quick question - my horse is struggling to eat hay atm due to dental issues. Will be going to vets surgery next week for investigations but, in the meantime, what would be the best thing to use as a hay repalcer?
Can fast fibre be used as a total hay replacer? It says on their website it can be used as a partial hay replacer. I ideally want something I can soak then leave a big trug full in the stable overnight.
Suggestions welcome!

I'd mix the Fast Fibre with some chaff of your choice to provide some chewing action as otherwise the horse can just slurp it.

 

[cauda equina]

It depends what the dental problems are - OP, can your horse still have chaff?

 

[onemoretime]

I use Spillers Veteran Super Mash for my 32 year old companion pony who hasn't got many teeth left. She loves it and its gone very quickly even though its meant to see her through the night.

 

[TGM]

It depends what the dental problems are - OP, can your horse still have chaff?

Agree with this, if horse has diastemas then normally chaff will be advised against as it is usually just the right length to get jammed in the gaps in the teeth.

 

[PurBee]

Another low calorie high fibre feed is plain speedibeet. Its said to be ok to replace 20% of their fibre daily DM needs. It would be a cool damp feed to pick at overnight - especially if you added soaked grass pellets too.
The only thing is sugar beet is quite high in calcium, so best balanced with oats for phosphorus, if your horse is ok on oats, or maybe cooked barley? Theyre both soakable and soft.
You could mix up a big trug and he could have that at night to nobble on as its all quite filling.

ETA - if he’s not on speedibeet currently, introduce it slowly 0.5kg soaked for a few days..see how he does, then up it to 0.75 etc etc, rather than give a new 2kg soaked feed suddenly.

 

[wiglet]

Thanks everyone. I’ve called my vet and they’ve advised continuing with the fast fibre and adding some soaked grass nuts so that’s what I’m going to do. Vet advised against mixing it with chaff - it’s only until Monday, she should be more comfortable after her dental work.