Beet pulp and Brewer's yeast..Thoughts from Michigan

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Jan Mills Kennedy jmkennedy@netonecom.net
Beet pulp is usually available year round in Michigan. I just started
feeding it 2 years ago and only feed it in the winter to all my horses but
my retired distance horse at the age of 30 is on it year around as I do
believe it adds the added fiber she needs along with her Purina Senior. I
have the good fortune to have  40 acres of super pasture. I was thinking
what in the world did we distance riders do BEFORE beet pulp??? We got
along just fine as I recall...good balanced diet and lots of grass, hay,
water and salt.Just a thought....
About brewers yeast..I feed it again to the old mare to maintain her
appetite mainly and the others get it 3 or4 times a week. Never used it as
a calmative but as a trainer of ex race horses for endurance I can say
that Thiamine(B1) helped calm them down..find the highest dosage per
ounce(10,000 iu) and adjust it accordingly. I went as high as 4 ounces
daily 2 days before a race on one 'nutsy' gelding I rode..worked miracles
on him but then again so did NOT feeding him alfalfa or any corn or sweet
feed..sweet feed in my experience makes horses 'high' sorta like giving a
hyper kid 5 candy bars!! I now feed a pelleted 10% feed and add oil only
to certain horses...this works for me may not for some......Oh! one thing
ALL my horses get is Source..it helps with lots of things and seems to
keep them a bit calmer...
I am on my 25th year in the sport..Yes...BEFORE beet pulp!!!!!!
One added note I do think brewers yeast helps their digestion..
Just some thoughts from Jan In Michigan