Hay replacer for a fussy toothless horse...

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lucy_108

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Looking for recommendations and opinions of hay replacers for my older dude. He is growing old gracefully and is still eventing, however, he had two teeth out in January this year and is now finding hay/haylage a bit tough (he's previously had more teeth out so only has 2/3 of his grinding capabilities left).

I'm looking into hay replacers until our grass comes through and wondered what you guys would recommend from experience.
Firstly - dried grass or grass pellet and why?
Fast fibre a non starter as he point blank refuses to even approach the bucket, so not sure if a grass pellet will work...

Dried grass - graze on, just grass or readi grass and why? Which is the best for a fussy feeder?
Pellets - what do you use and why?

Please note he is a fussy little monkey and I'd rather not burn money buying bags to use a scoop and have to chuck/give it away.

TIA!
 
I'd start with soaked grass pellets for a horse with no special needs (ie not laminitic, doesn't tie up etc.). They will probably be your cheapest option and cost is going to be a factor if he is not a tiny pony because you will need to feed in fairly decent quantities. Grass chaffs are usually more expensive than grass pellets. Fast Fibre is padded out with ground straw to make a filling feed for porkies, so not surprising he turns his nose up at it.
 
I use Fibre Beet mixed with Healthy Tummy (but any Dengie chaff would do). I’ve found that pretty cost effective.

Does yours need to lose or gain weight?
 
I have a super fussy 28 year old with very few teeth left.... can manage grass but not hay or haylage. She looks amazing on a buffet of Pure Meadow mash, spillers senior mash and equerry conditioning mash. She has come through the winter brilliantly this year, recommend any of those!
 
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