Last Updated on March 11, 2022 by Allison Price
Many of you know that I am the proud owner of a senior mare I have owned for all of her life.
She is now twenty-two years of age. With age comes an ever-evolving healthcare plan.
Although her teeth are still in good condition, she has developed a clicking sensation in her TMJ. I have found that soaking her alfalfa powders in warm water is a more convenient and comfortable way for her to get her daily calories.
These are my tips for feeding a soaked pellet.
- To fully dissolve alfalfa pellets, they need to be soaked for between five to six hours. I soak them overnight in winter so that they can be ready for the next day. This is not possible in Arizona’s warmer months due to the pellets becoming hot and moldy while they are being soaked. It is best to soak them for a few hours before you feed them.
- Chaste Tree Berry is also given to my mare. I prepare her pellets and add the supplement to them. Then, I soak the bucket. The pellets can be properly mixed and combined by soaking the supplement in water. It gives me the peace of mind that it isn’t blowing away!
- My senior mare enjoys eating a soaked pellet, even though it causes discomfort in her TMJ.
I’d love to hear from anyone who has also discovered that soaking hay pellets in water helps horses.
