re: beet pulp and hay

[Karen_Callan@radian.com]

	Mia Nalias wrote:

	> Interesting comments about horse diet. I have never fed beet pulp
but
	> do like the idea that it is good for extra hydration at rides.
During
	> the competition season, about how many pounds of beet pulp do you
feed
	> per day?  Presumably this depends on how much the horse "needs" to
	> maintain a good weight.
	> thanks
	> Mia

	Mia,

	I feed about 9 cups (out of my 3 cup scoop for dog food ;) of beet
pulp - I don't know how many pounds - probably just a couple.  It's sort of
a "medium" level serving in a rubber feed pan - you can see my very
scientific method. I don't think you can go too wrong with feeding it.

	I only feed beet pulp and extra fat when they are working. During
non-riding/competition/conditioning etc - just hay. You're absolutely right
about what each individual horse needs for his own maintenance. Let your
horses be your guide. I learned I was probably underfeeding for what I was
asking, and now feed more during work.

	I have fed it to put weight on (with NaturalGlo or oil) (during
non-competition time) and then back off as needed just for maintenance. They
seem to love it, (won't get near oil without it) and I too like the idea of
the extra water they're getting (again, not really an issue at home - but
sure helpful during rides, or during very cold weather at home when they
might not be drinking as much).

	I don't feed oil/fat during rides - maybe just a sprinkle of
NaturalGlo for taste, because they love it - but it's the fat stores that
are helpful, not anything they're ingesting during a ride. So feed all that
months and months ahead of time.

	Good luck and have fun!

	Karen