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While I have no quarrel with the science behind the beet pulp research, I do 
wonder about Mr. Ivers' implied conclusion that beet pulp is bad.

I think that it gets down to a question of amount and the wise use of this 
feed.

1. I personally know of a 27 year old CTR horse that has lost his teeth and 
can not chew hay.  This horse can only be wintered over on lots of beet 
pulp.  In the summer it can get nutrition from grass.  This summer the horse 
has taken a first place and a high point in 25 mile CTR's  (UMECRA rules 
most likely a 4 or 4.5 hour ride time specified).  This is after the owner 
returned from vacation early in the year and found the horse skin and bones, 
because no beet pulp had been fed during her absence.
2. On ride day our horses will eat bunches of beet pulp mixed with a little 
grain.  That gets lots of energy and WATER into them.  Any problems with 
electrolytes appear to be handled with moderate elyte' syringed.
3.  We give one dose of  elytes' about every 2 hours mixed with apple sauce. 
Our horses do not exhibit any signs of burning mouth etc.  They happily go 
on eating etc. after the dose.
4. At home their diet is MT grass (May 1-Jan 1), then MT grass hay from the 
same fields.  They are fat and sassy.  We feed 2 quarts of beet pellets 
between 7 horses each day.  This is mostly to get them to eat the Vit E - Se 
suppliment and to make sure they like beet pulp on ride day.  I doubt that 
any chelation effects will cause problems.

Would I cut hay/pasture to feed more beet pulp, if it saved money?  Hell no. 
Horses need lots of grass for health.  We picked our present place for this 
reason.

Ed
Ed & Wendy Hauser
2994 Mittower Road
Victor, MT 59875

(406) 642-9640

ranch@xxxxxxxxxxx 


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