Beet pulp after colic

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

>Hi
>Has anyone had a colic situation and needed something to use as a
>regular  laxative treatment.... I did use bran, but have read it is not
>good for horses.... to use beet pulp soaked.... If anyone uses this method,
>would you please email me, I need some help...

>Thank you.

Beet pulp is good following colic surgery, when you don' want alot of heavy
bulk traveling through the colon for a bit, but am I right in assuming
you're just referring to a colic episode that was resolved without surgery?
And that you just need to add bulk to maintain good gut motility?

Well, you're right that bran doesn't have the laxative properties in
herbivores that it does in monogastric species, and so won't help in
preventing another bout of colic.  Depending on the type of colic. just
feeding free-choice, good-quality hay will provide more and better bulk than
any additives or supplements will (including beet pulp).  If you had some
sort of impaction colic, and if you can pick and choose your hay a bit, then
first cutting grass hay is generally more digestible than later cuttings.
Legumes hays are the opposite, second or third cuttings are more digestible
than first cutting.

Where beet pulp *might* be useful, however, is if your horse is colicking
because he/she isn't drinking enough (I have one ancient mare who invented
the concept).  Adding a water heater so the water is above freezing (maybe
even tepid?) is terrific, and if your horse will eat soaked beet pulp or
even soaked hay cubes, that would be fine up to about half the hay ration.
Make sure he's getting at least 12 or 13 pounds of hay per thousand pounds
of body weight---15-20 pounds or free-choice is much better.

You might also want to evaluate his management, diet, and so on to see if
there are other factors that can be corrected---enteroliths, sand,
parasites?

And the last thing that will help maintain a good gut is just steady,
consistent exercise within his abilities.  Does wonders.

Good luck. :-)

Susan G