RC: how much beet pulp?

["Susan Garlinghouse" <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>]

Johnna, because beet pulp is a forage, you can feed quite a bit of it, and a
lot of hard keeper horses will benefit from a goodly bit.  You can feed beet
pulp (dry weight) up to roughly half of the forage ration.  That is, if your
horse normally eats 20 pounds of hay per day, you can replace 10 lbs of that
in the form of beet pulp.  The other half should still be hay, preferably
longstem (ie, flake hay or pasture) rather than pellets, to ensure
sufficient bulk to maintain hindgut motility.

As Maggie mentioned, you can feed it dry if that's what your management
calls for, but before, at, after an endurance ride (where the horse is
likely to be at least somewhat dehydrated), it should always be
well-soaked---the better to get additional fluid into the horse, and because
a dehydrated horse is much more likely to choke (on anything, not just beet
pulp).  I also try to feed it soaked during cold weather, because horses
have a tendency to not drink as much when their water is cold, and so can
become a bit dehydrated then as well.

Good luck. :-)

Susan G
----- Original Message -----
From: SeeUN100@cs.com
To: ridecamp-d@endurance.net
Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2001 9:34 PM
Subject: RC: How much beet pulp?


Hi all- I know a lot of you feed beet pulp, but HOW MUCH???  I am interested
in the dry amount.....also, this is in addition to grass hay, Accel, and a
small amount of COB.  I would greatly appreciate any feedback.  I currently
am feeding 2 cups dry to my mod. activity horses.  Thanks again.

Johnna (yes, I soak it!)

I have attached good fortune to the mane that falls
between thine eyes. Thou shalt be the lord of all
other animals...thou shalt fly without wings.
                             - Allah