Choke is common in horses. The reason horses get choke is due to swallowing food that is to dry or coarse or it is due to dental problems.
Usually the horse bolts down the food and then causes a blockage in the oesophagus (Gullet) Some times this gets over looked and the horse will start coughing and get very stressed.
If left untreated the horse will become dehydrated and very depressed. It can even cause
death.
Dry hay and coarse food is one reason for choke. The hay is to dry and full of dust and this gets stuck in the throat and the horse cannot move it. Horses cannot vomit like we do, so it is stuck.
If this does happen to your horse make sure you stop all feeding. It will only make the situation worth for the horse and make the blockage even bigger.
The horse will start coughing and will even gag to try to move it. Sometimes they can clear it themselves but in some cases they cannot and this is the time to call out your vet. This is why you need water at all times for your horse. If they do eat anything dry they will drink water to help move it. Horses like clean water and not dirty water. But saying that, Pip, will always go for dirty water and will mostly drink the dirty puddles of water after a down pour of water! My horses do like rain water rather then tap water.
To slow down a horse that is greedy and likes to bolt down their food is to put a large brick or large rock in the bottom of their feed bucket or spread their food out on the grass. I have done both with, Pip. Try cutting up some carrots in big pieces, that will slow them down.
If the horse is a cribber the chances are they will get a piece of wood or some kind of material stuck at some point. A lot of cribbers get choke because of the biting at wood. It is a good idea to find ways to stop cribbing, but I know this can be hard to do.
This is one reason I do not like to feed bread to the horses. It can swell when they are eating it, causing choke.
Sugar beet is a big cause for choke. People do not read the package and see how long it should be soaked for. Dengie horse feed now do a feed with, sugar beet and Alfa mixed together. It is called, Alfa-Beet. This needs to be soaked for 15 minutes in HOT water and if using cold water then you should soak for 2 hours. Myself I would leave it for longer then the 2 hours to be on the safe side. Always check and feel that the pellets have all soaked and there is no pellets left in the feed. Other wise they will swell when your horse is eating or ate the feed.
Sugar beet is fed mostly in the winter to keep them warm and also good for energy. Sugar beet comes in, flakes, pellets or shreds, but there is no difference between the 3 types of sugar beet. You can also get the unmolassed sugar beet and this is good for horses that are prone to the dreaded laminitis.
Then there is the, molassed sugar beet. This will give a lot more energy in the horse. If your horse is like mine and not racing or hunting or needs to maintain weight through the winter months, then go with the unmolassed sugar beet.
Never leave the soaking sugar beet anywhere near the horses or any other animal in case they get into it. It would be a disaster for the horse.
Always try to use warm water to soak it. If you cannot get to warm water then always leave it for 24 hours to soak and double check before giving to the horses that all the pellets have gone and it is like mush.
Sugar beet is known for causing choke or colic, killing them if it is not soaked for the required time.
Choke is very distressing for the horse and the owner and needs to be treated immediately. I will always recommend that you get a vet to visit. It can save their life. Phone the vet and ask their advice, they will ask you question and by you telling them what is happening they will know if they do need to visit.
Read the symptoms, causes and the treatments here for choke. It is full of information.