# feeding readigrass dry



## lucymay9701 (20 November 2011)

Hi all, I just wondered if anyone had found a readigrass they had managed to feed OK dry?  I have recently started my horse on 'just grass' by dodson and horrell.  There is nothing on the bag that says it can't be fed dry but the first time I gave it her she coughed for ages afterwards and the 2nd time she nearly choked on it causing my alot of worry!  My mare is 24, her teeth are pretty good and have recently been checked but the grass seems pretty spiky and don't know if this is causing the problem and getting stuck in her throat.  Anyway I have started soaking it and it is fine for her like this but I think alot of the nutrients may leech out into the water this way and it would be more convenient if I could find one that she could eat OK dry. 

I don't know if anyone else has had the same problem and if they have whether you have managed to find a 'softer grass' that is OK to be fed dry to horses that might struggle with others.  She is doing well on it and I'd like to continue but would like to find a new one.  I've heard of graze on by northern crop driers.  Does anyone know what this one is like or have any other recommendations? (or maybe I should just continue with the soaking!?)

Thank you for any help!

Love Lucy x


----------



## Mrs_Wishkabibble (20 November 2011)

I think it is designed to be fed dry.

I find the actual "Readigrass" the softest, smells that nice I could eat it myself, I give mine a bucket each when they are stabled after their tea.  One of mine is a 21 year old TB.

Some of the dried grass varieties I have found to be a bit like pine needles and mine dont like that as much.

Try the Readigrass but open the bag frontways on else it is a pain to get out!


----------



## Oberon (20 November 2011)

I like Readigrass. It lasts for ages too.

I mixed it in with Fast Fibre and Speedibeet for my old boy though as his teeth aren't great.


----------



## Britestar (20 November 2011)

I have just started my 29yr old on a half large trug tub of Graze On (similar to Redigrass) at night. I was advised to add sugar beet to it, and last night as I was short on SB I added about a pint of water and mixed it through.

The Veteran horse society have a hay replacer recipe on their website, which someone kindly forwarded to me.

PS Didn't see your cooment about the Graze On. I prefer it too Redigrass, seems less spikey. All my other horses eat it too instead of chaff.


----------



## RutlandH2O (20 November 2011)

There's almost no comparison between Just Grass/Graze On and ReadiGrass. The first two are quite pokey and much like pine needles. As said previously, the ReadiGrass smells and looks good enough to eat by people.

ReadiGrass is the feed staple for my Shires. I had one instance of choke feeding ReadiGrass dry many years ago, so it is ALWAYS mixed with warm water, after adding HiFi, Speedibeet and micronised linseed.

My small flock of sheep love it dry. It is their special treat when the snow is deep.

Hope this helps.


----------



## CBFan (20 November 2011)

I love readigrass over graze-on any day -smells much nicer and my boy seems tio prefer it too. I feed it as his chaff with some speedi beet so it is always dampened.

I wouldn't imagine you'd have to drench it but dampening it would definately be a good idea.


----------



## lucymay9701 (22 November 2011)

Thank you all very much for your replies.  I'll give the 'readigrass' a try next time and maybe just try dampening it instead of soaking.  That way she would get all the nutrients.  At the moment we've been soaking and then draining the water off with a culender but as we're trying to improve her weight I want her to get all the goodness!
Thanks again. Lucy x


----------



## CBFan (22 November 2011)

If it's weight gain you want, Speedi beet soaked and mixed in makes a nice addition! and very often the little dampness it needs to make it more palatable


----------



## Inchy (23 November 2011)

Mine all have graze on and graze on pellets - I feed it slightly damp, not soaked. All mine love it. I can happily feed it to everything as it is just pure grass.


----------



## Perissa (23 November 2011)

It has never occurred to me to feed it dry.  All of mine get Readigrass or Graze On and I always damped it.


----------



## Mancha (23 November 2011)

Instead of soaking it i would just dampen it or mix it with other feed like sugar beet or similar.


----------



## lucymay9701 (30 November 2011)

Thanks again everyone for the rest of the replies. Lucy x


----------



## NOISYGIRL (1 December 2011)

My friends horse nearly choked on dry readigrass, its supposed to be moistened, think it says on the bag but I'm not 100%

I had my hand down his throat, think it helped he stopped coughing, it was an automatic thing to do, might have been the wrong thing but seemd to work


----------



## Toast (1 December 2011)

I feed Graze On, its near enough the same as Readigrass for a fraction of the price. It also never occurred to me to feed it dry, ive always fed it either damp or mixed with speedibeet!


----------



## littlescallywag (2 December 2011)

I always feed it dampened


----------

