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  Discussion on Molasses
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New Member:
Letizia

Posted on Wednesday, Oct 15, 2003 - 4:08 pm:

I spent 2 weeks in Colorado at the Parelli International Study Center (Elevation 7700') this summer where they encouraged our horses to drink as much as they wanted of molasses water. This was to avoid dehydration for horses not used to the altitude. My 5 yr old mare was addicted to the water. She would just drink gallons of it. She urinated a lot, but it was very clear, barely colored and not smelly. I also used molasses water on the trip home (1300 miles) because she will not drink in a trailer and it did help.

When I gave her molasses water (1-2 buckets, 1-2 days per week) back at her boarding stables I was warned it would give her cavities and that molasses are hard on the kidneys. I have searched for info on this with no luck.

I did find out that blackstrap molasses is what is left over after all the sugar has been extracted from the cane and is loaded with minerals, especially iron. So what could be bad? I thought flushing out the kidneys would be a good thing and that the minerals would be beneficial. And what about those cavities?
Member:
Brock

Posted on Wednesday, Oct 15, 2003 - 4:57 pm:

I don't know anything about molasses but just had to comment about the fact, how lucky you are to have attended the Parelli Study Centre in Colorado. 1300 miles is a long way to travel, but was no doubt well worth it. I'm hooked on his program and currently am working on Level 2. I'm ENVIOUS!!
Member:
Jerre

Posted on Wednesday, Oct 15, 2003 - 11:05 pm:

Pam and Letizia,

If you'd like to find some supportive and very friendly PNH students, check out:

https://exracehorse.com/forum/index.php

Jerre
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Oct 16, 2003 - 7:51 am:

Let's see Letzia, first it is not true all the sugar has been removed all you have to do is taste it: molasses is very sweet. Cavities...hmmm, I doubt it, my dentist has always told me that the solubilized sugars are not much of a problem because they are so rapidly cleared out of the mouth. And I know of no reason that mollases would be harmful to the kidneys. Remember that mollases has been added to grain feeds for many decades.

However excessive drinking can lead to reversible problems involving the kidneys. The deal is that the kidneys use concentrated electrolytes in little compartments to help concentrate urine. Excessive drinking can wash out these electrolytes then the horse cannot concentrate their urine which leads to needing to drink a lots more.... The medical term for this is medulary wash out and this happens often enough in horses that we have some information on this in the article » Equine Diseases » Urinary System » Excessive Drinking and Urination, Polydipsia / Polyuria (PD/PU).
DrO
Member:
Deggert

Posted on Thursday, Oct 16, 2003 - 12:26 pm:

Letizia, its interesting that you have found a way to encourage the horse to drink because I had the same issue with a post sx colic/ulcer horse.
We got him throught the whole surgery, he had a stone and volvulus (180 degree). About 4 months post surgery we were having horribly hot weather and he had an impaction colic. Oiling alone didn't do it so that evening the vet came out and gave him fluids. Everything was passing the next day but that evening we gave him one more bag. The next morning I pulled the catheter, later that afternoon he was off again, laying down and not drinking. We profilactically put him back on Ranitidine but I was determined not to have another emergency call but I needed him to drink. I prepared a bucket (1 1/2 gallons) with 2 handfulls of bran, iodized salt, Forco, and water. I put it in his bucket and he did not know what to do at first, but them he started dunking for the bran at the bottom. Then, he decided he would drink to get to the bottom. Hmmm? Well, long story short, he loves these bran waters and he drank enough to start moving things again and all was well. We believe his ulcer acted up again which combined with the hot weather and no drinking caused the impaction. The other possibility is adhesions, but he is back to work and has had no incidence in 2 months. We use the water trick when he is going to go on a short trailer ride, or works hard or has any kind of stress. We are weaning him off the ranitidine.
I love this water trick though so I have accustomed the other horses to drinking one now and them so that if I need it they are familiar and like it. That old cliche' that necessity is the mother of invention is very true corny but true.
Member:
Slytwink

Posted on Thursday, Oct 16, 2003 - 1:19 pm:

debbie, what is Forco? how long did you wait after putting in the bran til you gave it to your horse and did you use warm,hot or cold water? did your other horse take to it as well? thanks for the info--i have a horse that coliced in the summer and i am worried it could happen again. it was impaction probably from not drinking enough. anyway thanks for the help. jeri
Member:
Deggert

Posted on Thursday, Oct 16, 2003 - 1:45 pm:

Jeri
forco is a prebiotic with
saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast culture
aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract
lactobacillus acidophilus ferm product
amylase, protease lipase and cellulase etc
Anyway, I put the bran in the bottom with the salt
and spray the water in so it getts sudsy and dispersed in the water, he like it this way now and my 26yr old , the 16 yo mare and my 2 yr old stud colt all think it is pretty cool. I put the Forco in their supplement ration now. Its not cheap and some gets wasted in the water. oh, cold water at that time because the weather was so hot.
if you have a cold winter you could try this warmed up. But I serve it up immediately
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