My horses are boarded and have been getting sweetfeed and hay 2X a day. I have not analyzed the hay which is home grown as well as purchased. I believe it would come closest to orchard grass. Based on my research it seems that a more healthy diet would consist of dry beet pulp, alfalfa cubes, nutra flax and grand complete as well as hay throughout the day if possible. Does this seem right to you and do they need anything else? They are relatively healthy geldings, thoroughbred/quarterhorse mix, about 16H and 1300 lbs. Ages 17, 15 and 8. They are outside in a large dry paddock with several other geldings and are ridden 5-6x a week.
Thank you for your help, your website, your discussion forum and your product recommendations.
Cindy

Where are you from? Minneapolis

How did you locate this forum? nutrition research

Hi Cindy,

I couldn’t have said it better myself! You can use alfalfa hay or pellets, instead of cubes, if you like. Cubes should be moistened because they are very dry and I am concerned about choke if several of them are placed in a feed bucket. I would make one change regarding the supplement. I would suggest Accel instead of Grand Complete, since they’ll be getting plenty of omega 3 fatty acids in the Nutra Flax.

You’re wise to switch them away from sweet feed and also to offer them hay and/or pasture throughout the day. Great job!

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Dr. Getty,
I am getting raised eyebrows and strong cautions from many at my barn in response to my plan to feed dry beet pulp in the winter. I am being warned that my horses will certainly choke, colic or worse!
With the information I've given you can you recommend how much of each, dry beet pulp and alfalfa pellets, I should offer at each feeding?
Thank you.

Where are you from? Minneapolis

Would you add or change anything to this feeding regimen for a 1 1/2 year old and 2 1/2 year old. Is this feeding regimen good for growing horses with the supplements of nutra flax and accel added. Can alfalfa pellets be fed instead of the cubes? And how do you know where to start in the amount you feed to them? Is there a necessity to soak the beet pulp or can it be fed dry? Thanks.
Steph

Hi Cindy,

Beet pulp can be fed dry, but for years it was always thought that it must be soaked first in order to prevent choke or colic. Certainly soaking it is fine and in the winter, it is especially nice because horses’ water consumption typically decreases during the cold weather. So, soaking the beet pulp is a good way to increase the amount of water they are getting.

Without knowing more about your horses, I can just generalize regarding amounts. However, a reasonable amount for the average sized horse who is healthy and of normal weight, would be a 2 to 3 pound meal consisting of 1 pound of beet pulp (dry weight) and 1 pound of alfalfa pellets, along with ½ pound of flaxseed meal. This can be given twice each day along with pasture and/or hay 24/7.

It is important to have water available and near by while they are eating, so they can wash down the beet pulp.

One other thing – many horses choke when they are fed with their feed buckets at too high a level. Horses are designed to eat off the ground, so your feed bucket should be as close to the ground as possible. This will help prevent choke.

My horses have been eating dry beet pulp for years and they love it. Their feed buckets are 12 inches from the ground and they have a water bucket next to it. So, I believe there are other factors that go into this fear about dry beet pulp. But, as I mentioned, either way is fine.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Hi Steph,

Horses this young would likely require additional lysine since this essential amino acid is necessary for proper growth. So, in order to tell you an exact amount of lysine to add, it would require my crunching some numbers and doing an analysis of your feeding regimen . However, lysine can be purchased separately and added to the Accel. Growing horses require approximately 45 grams of lysine each day.

Other than that, this diet works quite nicely for growing horses. Alfalfa pellets are fine instead of cubes. Clean alfalfa hay – one to two flakes a day, added to their grass hay ration, is generally helpful.

As far as how much to feed – as I mentioned in my post to Cindy, I can only be general on this forum. The amounts I mentioned are likely fine for young ones, but some additional alfalfa would be necessary to meet their increased protein and calcium needs.

Hope this is helpful,

Dr. Getty