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Equine Nutrition Fact or Fiction. By Robyn Scanlon. "Beet Pulp Must be Soaked Before You Feed It.". Fiction . S tudies in which horses were fed dehydrated beet pulp, up to a level of 45% of their total diet, noted no ill effects whatsoever
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Equine Nutrition Fact or Fiction By Robyn Scanlon
Fiction • Studies in which horses were fed dehydrated beet pulp, up to a level of 45% of their total diet, noted no ill effects whatsoever • They also suffered no signs of colic or choke, nor did the water content in their manure change • Soaked just for palatability • Also good for ruminants, high in crude protein and crude fiber
“Horses Must Be Cooled Down After Exercise Before Allowing Them to Drink”.
Fiction • Thought to cause colic and cold-water founder in horses • Recent research has shown that withholding water after exercise prolongs dehydration • Exception: hard galloping and then drinking from a frozen stream
What to do • Give horse access to tap water right from the start of the cooling out-period • It may take a few minutes for his thirst mechanism to kick in, so allow him to drink his fill and then keep coming back to the bucket as long as he wants a refill • If riding over long distances, or for prolonged periods of time, stop periodically and allow your horse to drink during your ride
Fact • Study by Dr. Jan Bowman at Montana State University • Worked with Quarter Horses that were just beginning their training • All horses were fed as much grass/alfalfa hay as they wanted, and half also ate five pounds of sweet feed each day. • Study results showed that the sweet-feed eaters were livelier, less obedient, more resistant to being saddled, more inclined to buck and run, more anxious when separated from the herd, more easily startled, and more inclined to vocalize than horses on the hay-only diet. • This suggests that diets with high levels of sugar may be linked to nervous behavior, while diets with lower sugar levels can allow young horses to stay somewhat calmer when faced with new situations and experiences
Works Cited • Kelly, P. 1983 Sugar Beet Pulp- A review. Animal Feed Science and Technology 8:1-18 • Warren, Lori K. 2002. Horse Feeding Myths and Misconceptions. Alberta Horse Breeders and Owners Conference. Presentation. • Briggs, Karen. 1999. Feeding Beet Pulp. The Horse. Com. Article 314. • Kentucky Equine Research Staff. 2009. Does Nutrition Influence Equine Behavior. Equinews.com http://www.equinews.com/article/does-nutrition-influence-equine-behavior • http://alexwillwalkagain.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/53-horses-be-crazy3.jpg