Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition
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Dr. Getty
Hi Libby,
First, let me explain that the first ingredient on horse feed (or any animal feed) is not necessarily present in the highest concentration. This is only true for human foods and is not a requirement for animal feeds.
So, if beet pulp is first, it means that it contains beet pulp but you have no way of knowing if it contains a lot or a little.
Grain by-products are actually a good thing -- they are the outer hull of the grain (the bran) or could include the germ, but they are not the whole grain. Whole grains are mostly starch, so you actually want to look for feeds that contain middlings or by-products.
I know what you mean about the scarcity of products low in starch in Texas, having recently moved from Texas. Purina Ultium is a good choice, though expensive. Safe Choice is not reliable. But, you can look at the ingredients label and make sure that it doesn't contain oats or corn -- I have seen bags of Safe Choice that actually have whole corn kernals in them!
One route to go is to simply get shredded beet pulp. You'll want to soak it for 30 minutes and if you can only get the sweetened variety, soak it and then drain the water to remove the sugar. Add some alfalfa pellets for palatability. And, then add a good, comprehensive multiple vitamin/mineral supplement such as Accel or Glanzen Complete.
Bermuda hay, fortunately, is typically low in sugar, so that's a good thing for your horses.
I hope this is helpful! Keep up the fine work!
Dr. Getty 
Where are you from? Bayfield, CO