So 2 days ago I had the S**t scared out of me. I had given my mare her grain like I usuallt do and I came back to find her choking. Thankfully my BO's Dad is a vet and able to help me but oh my god, I am so scared now. Now yesterday at the advice of my vet, we put a big booty rock in her grain to slow her down but She still choked. I can tell because she stops eating and flips her lip like she smells something. Right now she gets 4lbs of grain with 2lbs of alfalfa pellets and some supplenents. Yes, she is 21 so I know as she is older she is more prone to choke. I can have her feed soaked but can not have it split into 2 different feedings. I have gotten a big ball that she will not be able to get out to replace the rock but what else can I do? She is my first horse(I am 17) and I don't want to lose her. TIA

How are you feeding her? If possible feed her from the ground. It makes for a more natural way of eating, like they are grazing.

I bet it was scary. Hugs to you and your girl.

If you're feeding alfalfa pellets dry that often is the culprit, especially as they get older. I've dealt with a few that choked on them dry, never had an issue soaked. Most brands, like Standlee, even put right on the bag to soak it. I would say soak her feed and see, and use plenty of water. I put mine in a 2 gallon bucket, the grain and alfalfa pellets fill it about 1/3 of the way and I put a whole gallon of water on it. By the time it's done soaking it's almost to the top of the bucket. And when it's a little sloppier they tend to eat slower. Using warm/hot water will make it soften faster as well, just make sure it's not piping hot when you feed it 

Thank you!  I was feeding her at like her chest level and then she choked so I put it at the ground still tied up though. I will aslo try soaking them so thank you!

Yep...the only way to prevent it is to feed at ground level and make it soupy wet. 

I always soak alfalfa pellets with hot or warm water and let them sit for maybe 15 minutes to help soften them

The very first time my horse choked it was on alfalfa pellets. Its extremely scary! After they choke once, it's more than likely it will happen again since the esophagus can get damaged in a bad choke. Hes choked no less than 10 more times .. only once did it require the vet to come tube him.. hes choked on pretty much every grain I've tried. Tried soaking it, hed still choke .. hes fed in a large old water trough now so he has to chase his feed around at ground level.. this is going to sound completely bizarre, it doesnt even make sense to me... but the only thing he hasn't choked on has been hayrite alfalfa cubes... they are hard! I guess he just has to really take his time to eat them and he doesn't try to inhale them. He gets those cubes at night and he gets 1lb of TC ration balancer in the morning... so far so good! 

Like others, those alfalfa pellets...  Cubes and pellets, I wont feed either with out soaking or at least spraying down... you will be amazed at how much they swell up once wet, then imagine that in a horses throat.... I had one choke too.. its scarey! and that was the last time I fed cubes dry...

Agree, once they choke, they can can choke over and over, They need a softer pelleted feed I would go with a senior feed and I agree with the soaking of hard pellets. 

I get the Bluebonnet alfalfa "nibletts".  They are smaller and softer.  I have not had one choke on them and I have fed them both dry and wet.

I have a 23 year old that choked a couple of years ago, he spent 3 days at the vet hooked up to fluids for pnuemonia. Since then he always gets his pelleted feed, alfalfa pellets and empower soaked. It's kind of a pain in the winter because I have to sit and wait for a while but in the summer it soaks up pretty quickly. I don't live with my seniors so I also can't split their feed up....so far this has worked well for him. I know they have buckets made to slow them down when eating but I usually will just add a couple of rocks if he is being extra piggy that day. If you haven't had teeth checked in a while might wanna get that done soon also.

Thank you all for the help! She is on a senior feed at the moment and her teeth are being done on the 15th. 

For awhile after they choke their throat can be sore & they will be more likely to choke for a few weeks. But as stated above feeding at ground level and adding a few big rocks so they have to pick through them really helps  

Yup. We have a mare who chokes bad. She is fed senior soaked. Our vet said alfalfa pellets are notorious for this. So make her some soup or perhaps try switching her to cubes but soak those too.

I feed in a very large tub on the ground. The pellets get spread out so they can't gulp a big mouth full. I also use bricks to help even more. I don't soak the alfalfa pellets and have had no issues using this method. I feed which ever alfalfa pellet I can get... some large, some small, some softer, some harder. When I haul off for a night I feed alfalfa hay in place of the pellets since I don't haul my big feeding tub with me.

It's a scary thing to watch for sure!