Quidding in Horses Explained
Quidding is when a horse drops balls of half-chewed hay because chewing hurts. Learn what causes it, why it signals dental trouble, and how to feed a quidder.
Quick definition: Quidding is when a horse chews hay or feed, then drops the half-chewed, saliva-soaked wad instead of swallowing it. It is not bad manners; it is a reliable sign that chewing or swallowing is painful or difficult, almost always from a dental problem. In senior horses, quidding is one of the earliest clues of worn, loose, or missing teeth and should prompt a dental exam.
If you have found small, wet balls of chewed hay scattered around your older horse\'s stall or paddock, you have seen quidding. It looks harmless, but it is one of the most useful warning signs a senior horse owner can learn to recognize, because it points straight at the mouth.
A healthy horse grinds long-stem forage into a fine, swallowable mash using its cheek teeth. When those teeth become sharp, loose, worn, or missing, grinding becomes painful or simply does not work. The horse chews, fails to reduce the forage enough to swallow comfortably, and drops the wad. The result is the telltale quid.
Why It Matters for Senior Horses
Quidding matters because it means forage is not being processed. Over time that leads to weight loss, nutrient shortfalls, and a higher risk of choke and impaction colic from poorly chewed feed. In older horses, where teeth are naturally worn down and tooth loss is common, quidding is often the first outward sign that the diet needs to change.
Common Dental Causes
- Sharp enamel points, hooks, or a wave mouth that make grinding painful.
- Loose, fractured, or missing cheek teeth that leave gaps in the grinding surface.
- EOTRH affecting the incisors so the horse cannot bite and position forage.
- Periodontal disease, gum infection, or an abscess causing localized pain.
What to Do About It
The first step is always a veterinary dental exam. Floating sharp points, addressing a wave mouth or hooks, and removing a diseased tooth can resolve quidding when caught early. When teeth are worn out or gone, the answer shifts to feeding around the problem with soaked, easy-to-eat forage.
Feeding a Horse That Quids
Soaked hay cubes and pellets, soaked complete senior feed, and well-soaked mashes give a quidding horse the forage and calories it needs without requiring hard grinding. Wetting feed also lowers the choke risk that comes with poorly chewed boluses. These changes, paired with dental treatment, usually restore weight and comfort.
For the full clinical picture, see quidding in senior horses. Related reading includes floating teeth in senior horses, signs of dental problems, and the glossary entry on choke in horses. For diet help, see the best mash for senior horses and feeding a horse with no teeth.
This page is educational and does not replace your veterinarian or equine dentist. Persistent quidding always warrants a professional dental exam.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is quidding in horses?
Quidding is when a horse partly chews hay or feed, then drops the wad out of its mouth instead of swallowing it. You find balls of half-chewed, saliva-soaked forage on the ground or in the feed tub. It is not a behavior problem; it is a sign that chewing or swallowing hurts or is mechanically difficult, almost always because of a dental issue. Quidding is one of the most common early warnings of dental trouble in senior horses.
What causes a horse to quid?
Quidding nearly always traces back to the teeth. Sharp enamel points, hooks, wave mouth, loose or missing teeth, EOTRH, periodontal disease, or an abscess can all make grinding hay painful or ineffective. Less often, mouth ulcers, foreign objects, or pain elsewhere in the head are to blame. In older horses, worn or lost cheek teeth are the usual reason. A dental exam is the only way to know which problem is causing it.
Is quidding an emergency?
Quidding itself is not an immediate emergency, but it should never be ignored. It tells you the horse cannot process its forage properly, which can lead to weight loss, choke, and impaction colic over time. Schedule a dental exam promptly. If quidding appears suddenly alongside drooling, a swollen face, or signs of distress, treat that as urgent and call your vet, since it could signal choke or an abscess.
How do you manage a horse that quids?
Start with a veterinary dental exam to correct what can be fixed, such as floating sharp points or removing a bad tooth. Then adjust the diet to match the horse's chewing ability: soaked hay cubes or pellets, soaked complete senior feed, and chopped or soft forage replace long-stem hay that the horse cannot grind. Feeding wet mashes reduces choke risk and keeps weight on while the mouth is managed.
Can quidding cause weight loss?
Yes. A horse that quids is dropping much of its forage uneaten and failing to break down what it does swallow, so it extracts fewer calories and nutrients. Over weeks this commonly shows up as weight loss and a dropping body condition score, especially in winter when forage demands are highest. Switching to soaked, easy-to-eat feeds and treating the underlying dental cause usually reverses the decline.
How is quidding different from choke?
Quidding happens in the mouth: the horse chews, then spits out forage it cannot manage. Choke happens further down, when a bolus of feed lodges in the esophagus after swallowing. A quidding horse keeps trying to eat and drops wads; a choking horse often stops eating, drools, coughs, stretches its neck, and may have feed coming from the nostrils. Untreated quidding can lead to choke, which is why both deserve attention.
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