Re: RC: Beet Pulp

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

In a message dated 5/26/00 8:43:14 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
fasterhorses@gilanet.com writes:

<<  I've never heard of any 
 problems with feeding the stuff dry, but surely considering your nursing 
 mare's need for adequate hydration it  would be better to *add* a bit more 
 hydration to your mare by soaking beet pulp first!.  >>

While the myths about it "exploding" in the stomach if fed dry are exactly 
that, I HAVE seen chokes and colics in endurance horses that have received it 
dry, as they were likely both somewhat fatigued (contributing to the former 
problem) and had at least subclinical dehydration (contributing to both 
conditions) so I'd strongly advise against feeding it dry to a horse that is 
competing, at any rate.  Just eating it dry as a part of the regular diet at 
home likely would not be an issue, but again, if it is to be fed to endurance 
horses, it is also likely wise to feed it in a fashion that at least somewhat 
resembles how you will feed it on race day, so they don't think you're trying 
to give them something utterly weird...

Heidi