Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition
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Dr. Getty
Hi Dr. Getty,
Ive come across lots of recipes for horse cookies that contain oats, carrots, apples, bran etc. But they almost all call for molasses which I'd like to eliminate. Do you or do any of your readers have a good recipe for horse treats? While I can buy good ones, I'd rather make them if I can.
I feed my minis beet pulp and prefer the pellets to the shreds because the shreds are so dusty and hard to handle. Are the pellets all right for them? Is the amount of molasses in the pellets of any consequence?
Thanks so much for your input! Hope you're feeling back to normal.
Pam
Where are you from? Arizona
How did you locate this forum? Been here lots of times
Just let you know they do make a molasses free beet pulp. I feed my 3ry old molasses free beet pulp your feed stores should have it.Pelleted is
fine that is what I feed . Lori
Where are you from? Alaska
How did you locate this forum? web
Hi Pam and Lori,
Yes, most treats do contain molasses and grain. That's why I am delighted to carry Skode's treats (click on the name to get more info). They are very low in sugar and starch since they do not contain either one of these ingredients. And, there is also a cookie mix where you can bake your own.
Regarding unsweetened beet pulp -- it is available, as you mentioned Lori. Unfortunately, it is difficult to find in many locations. I like the shredded beet pulp better since it doesn't require prolonged soaking. If you use the pellets, they should be soaked until they get soft -- usually between 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the temperature of the water. But, please do not soak beet pulp for more than 2 hours since bacterial growth will become a real problem and you can make your horse ill.
The sugar level in sweetened beet pulp is approximately 5% so it is minimal. And, a healthy horse can certainly tolerate this. However, an insulin resistant horse, one who is cushinoid, or who has had an attack of laminitis, should avoid sweetened beet pulp. If the unsweetened variety is not available, you can soak the sweetened version and then drain off the water before feeding.
Thanks for writing!
Dr. Getty
Where are you from? Bayfield, CO