In a message dated 10/28/2004 2:12:11 PM Mountain Daylight Time,
surgitech2001@xxxxxxxxx writes:
Well, I
just started my gelding on beet pulp pellets two days ago. He was
only getting 1/2 a lb. in the evening. After reading about the whole
soaking debate a long time ago, I decided to go ahead and feed
it unsoaked. My horse has 4 baseball-size round, smooth river
rocks in his feeder anyway to keep him from bolting his food.
Well this morning at 6 am I get a call from the barn owner saying
there is something wrong with Merlin. I called the vet out and he and
I both showed up 15 minutes later. Merlin was definately choking,
with great big handfull gobs of gunk draining out his nostrils and mouth
every time he gagged. We got a tube down to the blockage, and guess
what came out...yucky sticky beet pulp pellets.
My daughters pony chocked on a small handful of beetpult pellets a few
years ago. I had just bought the bag and had not started "feeding" it. Did not
understand the importance of soaking pellets. I over soak the beet pulp now.
Kind of super saturate it. Have not had a problem since. Beccy in Ut.
