Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Well that may work for some horses, but not for my mare. She has been eating for 9 years and still has not figured out that she doesn't have to gorge.

 

At the end of our last 50 we were waiting for the vet and she is literally ripping the hay bag trying to get the hay out fast enough. The VET finally grabbed a handful of hay and said to keep feeding her while he was checking her because she was so ravenous she wouldn't stand still when I took the bag away. He joked that he was "afraid" what she'd do if we got between her and her food. LOL! Needless to say he said her appetite was fine.

 

So not all horses will LEARN to slow down, especially one that gorges on HAY!

 

Katrina &

Perle (mom's not going to take another $4000 chance on me)

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From: ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Spottedracer@xxxxxx
Sent: June 29, 2007 6:42 AM
To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [RC] Beet pulp

Once the horses are USED to eating a ration with significant shredded beet pulp in it - you don't HAVE to soak.. Since they've figured out they have to take smaller bites and chew it like hay - unlike what they do with pellets/grains.

When I'm first introducing Shredded beet pulp to a horse/cow - I wet it 'lightly' prior to giving it to them... It starts expending almost immediately, so it's 'pre-expanded' when they first get a bite - instead of them gorging on it (like with pellets/grain) and it expanding within their throats and causing choke problems.  I do this for the first two weeks or so with horses, then slowly add less and less water - until it's dry.. By then, they've figured out HOW to eat it properly..... Now, I'm still wetting it for the cattle..

- LP