Re: Beet Pulp Pellets????

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

Steph will yell at me for posting back to everyone, but I get alot of
similar questions, so here goes---

There is no difference between the beet pulp pellets that you bought and
'the kind that needs to be soaked'.  There are alot of horses that eat beet
pulp dry, unsoaked, without any problems.  However, if at all feasible,
soaking beet pulp is better, and should ALWAYS be soaked at rides to provide
as much moisture as possible.  Beet pulp is not any more likely to cause
choke that other feeds, but if it *did* cause a choke, could cause more of a
problem if not quickly resolved than other types of feed might.

The only type of beet pulp that doesn't 'need' to be soaked (given the above
disclaimer) are the commercial beet-pulp-based feeds like Purina Complete
Advantage, Rely, etc.  The basic beet pulp content is still pretty much the
same, but the processing adds some molasses and so the resulting product
doesn't tend to soak up quite as much fluid.  But, it still *will* soak up
some, and so is also a good base for mixing up a nice, sloppy mash at rides.

Someone just told me that (maybe rumor) a horse died of impaction colic at
the VC ride 'because he was eating beet pulp'.  If the implication is that
beet pulp causes impactions and therefore shouldn't be fed to horses, what
total nonsense.  I'm haven't a clue what all the details are, but if the
horse was acclimated to beet pulp (like any new feed) properly, and was
managed and ridden well within the horse's capabilities and specifically was
*not dehydrated or ridden hard enough to shunt blood away from the gut*,
then saying beet pulp alone caused the impaction is alot like saying the
horse died wearing a halter and therefore halters kill horses.

That last comment was outside the scope of Dorann's question, but I wanted
to throw in that comment before the gossip mills started spreading idiocy
about how beet pulp kills horses.

Dorann, you might want to read the article on beet pulp at this website,
it'll answer alot of your questions.  http://www.shady-acres.com/susan/

Good luck---I think beet pulp is a much better solution for your horse than
rice bran, especially *unstabilized* rice bran (which is no better than cow
feed).

Susan G

----- Original Message -----
From: <guest@endurance.net>
To: <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Sent: Saturday, December 23, 2000 5:38 PM
Subject: RC: Beet Pulp Pellets????


> Dorann LaPerch bonnfyrefarms@yahoo.com
> Hello everyone. I have lurked here for a few months, ever since
> Lynn Glazier told me that this  board existed (during the Hog Wild Ride in
September) now I need your sage advice on Beet Pulp Pellets.
>
> I am "moving up" to my first 50 (Warner Springs Jam 6 2001) and previous
to this have been supplementing my mare with Rice Bran. My mare HATES rice
bran...both the cheap stuff and the expensive stuff--non stabalized vs.
stabalized). So much so that she will actually ignore her other supplements
at times no matter how creative I get in mixing it. I feel with this
increase in her workload/mileage I need to try to get her to eat more
consistantly. So my good friend and training partner Dr. Rebecca Florio
suggested Beet Pulp. Today I asked for it at my feed store. Expecting it to
be something I needed to soak I opened the bag once I got home to find I had
purchased Beet Pulp Pellets.  Missy loved the handful I gave her but I
wonder if this is the same as getting the Beet Pulp that needs to be soaked.
The label says its not less than 9.8% Protein, not less than 3.1% fat, not
less than 15.5% Fiber and not less than 5.8% Ash.
> All that said, if this would work, how much should I plan to build her up
to?  If this won't work and I get the type of Beet Pulp I have to soak how
much of that (pre-soaked weight) I should plan on feeding her.
>
> E-mail me please instead of cluttering the board <smile>
>
> Thanks
> Dorann
>
>
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