Horses getting sick from the new hay!

Hello,

We have at the stables new hay for the horses but it seems that hay gets the horses ill everytime they try to eat it, because it's getting stuck in their throats!!! (sorry for the spelling, I'm dutch!)

4 Horses were already ill, but they have been treated by the local vet, and now they are in other boxes with sawdust on the floors!
Can anyone tell me how this is possible, 4 horses ill just by eating hay?! Please help me out!

I'd recommend to do the quality test of the hay (local horse food store like SS may do that). Some hay can have weeds in it, or beetles. Or may be it's just moldy.

We don't have SS-stores in the Netherlands, but thanks for the suggestion. But this does not make the problem solved, so... anyone else?

Hi,
Is your hay from a reputable seller?

Kitten val is along the right lines, it could have various toxins or weeds that effect the horse health. If you can it would be worthwhile trying to find out.
Also try some different hay, just to see if it is definatley the hay.

What did your vet say about it? Has he taken any bloodwork?

What kind of hay is it?

Very very dry kind of hay, and very stringy! And the kind? I really don't know.

It is NOT Kitten val! And by the way: the horses that I mention are for grouplessons on a... manege, or how do you call that? Where you can take ridinglessons? Symptoms are: trying to throw up, stuck in throat.... and a few weeks ago there was a horse that even threw up blood (sorry but it's the truth!) It was nasty :( ! I'm not sure about bloodwork. But for he moment, all the horses who were sick are now on the better hand! (thank goodness!)

Sorry I think you misunderstood me, I was meaning Kitten Val had the right idea about getting the hay checked. :)

In all honesty it sounds to me that these horses have digested some kind of toxin/poison.
Did your vet not give you any kind of diagnosis?

OK, my bad! Eeeehhhmmmm... diagnosis.... lemme think.... I heard from the boss who run the stables that they needed rest and he had all the hay removed from the stables of the sick horses. Noew they are standing on sawdust, instead of this nasty hay. It's a new kind of hay that the horses are not accustomed to.