Re: Soaking beet pulp

["Brehm" <RockingB@worldnet.att.net>]

I board my horse at a full care facility that will not feed
beet pulp so I mix a mash for her every day.  I just wanted
her to get used to it so I put in 1/2 scoop (2 qt. scoop),
plus 1/2 scoop hay cubes, handful of oatmeal, 1/4 cup oil, a
dab of molasses, carrots and an apple, chopped of course.  I
add a gallon of hot water and it soaks for the wonderful 45
minute drive to the barn.  It's pretty soupy but she slurps
it up like nobody's business.  I added the hay cubes
originally because she was a little reluctant with the beet
pulp at first.  She seems to have acquired a taste for it
now though and gobbles it down.  I keep the hay cubes in
because they're 50 alfalfa and Timothy so they help the
calcium/phosphorus ratio.

I was reading about grain in the RideCamp archives the other
day and after reading several posts about actually weighing
grain so you really know how much you're feeding your horse,
I decided to weigh out what I was feeding mine.  1/2 scoop
beet pulp = 1/2 pound; 1/2 scoop hay cubes = slightly over
1/2 pound; handful of oatmeal = 2 ounces.  The total mash
(more of a soup really) is not the biggest portion of her
diet, she also gets 2 pounds sweet feed twice a day, and
free choice grass hay as well as pasture, but it has become
a real bonding thing for me.  Now she knows I'm a portable
vending machine and comes when I call.  :)

SusanB