Dr. Getty,
I have read that feeding alll pellets vs hay can cause problems for a healthy horse, such as digestion, stomach shrinkage, cribbing because of hunger, etc.
Is it dangerous to switch, and is it dangerous once they're on it, to return to grazing if a pasture becomes availabe? I have read that it can lead to bloating. Will it cause an older horse to choke, as some grains cause our mare to choke. We have three horses, a 2 yr old filly, a 4 yr old gelding, and a 23 yr old mare.
I was considering a bermuda/alfalfa mix pellets.

Thanks,

Vince

Where are you from? Young, AZ

How did you locate this forum? Internet search

Hi Vince,

Hay and/or grass is necessary for a horse’s digestive health. If you feed hay pellets, they are certainly getting forage, however, pellets are easier to chew and therefore, eaten more quickly. So, they are likely to go many hours without anything to eat, which can lead to ulcers, cribbing, and even colic.

So, since you now have pasture available, you should go ahead and let them graze. They may initially experience some gas distention from fermentation, so you can let them build up the amount of time they spend eating pasture. However, while they are in a dry paddock, you should offer them a grass hay. And, once each day, you can add some alfalfa to the mix.

The Bermuda/alfalfa pellets can be used as a meal to ideally be mixed with some other energy source such as beet pulp, flaxseed meal, stabilized rice bran, and/or supplements.
I would not recommend feeding grain.

I hope this helps clarify things.

All the best,

Dr. Getty