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Discussion on Grasse again...
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Member:
paardex
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Posted on Saturday, Sep 20, 2008 - 4:09 am:
Hi All, after two weeks with Cascade in a not to lush pasture with walk in stables with the best quality of straw, Grasse coughs again...
I had put Grasse and Cascade together for my holiday to make life easy on the 'horsesitter'.
She clearly won't hold out without real allergic reactions until I return. So of to change the fences [for about the millionth time ]
What food would be least dangerous when I am away: beetpulp[I don't think so founder!] alphalphapellets[same problem but et least less sugars? or a complete horsefood in pellets[balanced but only choice over here contains a fair amount of grains and is imo to rich for founderprone horse]
An apple when the other horses get fed and only grass?
I'm at my wits end with Grasse and winter still has to come...
Well of to change the fences, any advice appreciated, I would like to find her alive and well after my holiday
Jos
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Saturday, Sep 20, 2008 - 7:50 am:
Jos could it be the straw causing the problems, I don't think it is good for horses with heaves?
I give Hank watered down alfalfa pellets for his "feed" it doesn't have much in the line of carbs and it does have the protein he needs. He only gets 4 oz. a feeding, but when watered down(I let it soak between feedings...about 12 hrs.) it "poofs" up and looks like much more. All 3 horses love it that way, and I don't have to worry about the old girl choking on them either. In the winter I add warm water to make a warm feed for them.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Saturday, Sep 20, 2008 - 10:08 am:
jos, why do you associate beet pulp with founder, it has had the nonstructural carbohydrates (sugars) extracted and is the foundation of many low carb, founder preventing diets.
DrO
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Member:
paardex
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Posted on Saturday, Sep 20, 2008 - 10:59 am:
Diane I know it's the straw, had more COPD horses who don't tolerate it. I had hoped she would as she does need roughage!
Thanks Dr. O !! I thought beet pulp was to dangerous because of the carbohydrates for foundering horses, as it is less rich then alphalphapellets[I did get that right didn't I?] I will choose beetpulp as roughage soak it and add the mineral vitamins she needs!
Jos
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Member:
frances
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Posted on Sunday, Sep 21, 2008 - 4:39 am:
Re beet pulp: I was surprised some years ago when the vet said my horse should not be on beet pulp because it was too high energy for her (she was being rehabbed at the time and had put on too much weight which was causing stiffness). It didn't really make sense to me, but I've kept her off it ever since as she's an easy keeper. Why did he say that??
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Sunday, Sep 21, 2008 - 6:10 am:
I wondered that too. Last winter I started giving my horses a little beet pulp because I was running low on hay. The geldings seemed to really pack on weight when on it...I took them off and still have half a bag left...that's when I switched to the alfalfa pellets, especially since their hay was all not so good grass hay I figured the protein was a good idea also. They didn't gain weight on the pellets
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Member:
paardex
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Posted on Sunday, Sep 21, 2008 - 6:19 am:
I guess alphalpha or beetpulp pellets both are to rich for Grasse but she needs a handful twice a day of something to mix her vitamins in. And I prefer that something to be roughage so beetpulp or alphalpha sounds better then a complete pellet.
For the rest I will try to keep her on grass. I really am out of ideas with her. She is slightly slimmer then last year before winter[locked up on almost nothing with a mineral lick for the complete summer with lungeing a few times a week]but I am fairly certain she will be fat when I return from my holiday once again
Jos
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Sunday, Sep 21, 2008 - 11:18 am:
I've had very good luck with older horses keeping weight on with soaked beet pulp mixed half and half with senior pellets. When we run short on grass hay I used beet pulp to feed any horses that have issues with kidneys/urinary tract or cushings type problems. I've always felt it was better for them than alfalfa. It depends a lot on the alfalfa you are comparing to I guess. Around here alfalfa is grown for cows and is very high protein. My vet is the one that suggested using beet pulp with these horses.
With the amounts you are talking about, Jos, I don't think it would matter much what you gave her. You don't feed more than a handful from what I've seen.
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Member:
paardex
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Posted on Sunday, Sep 21, 2008 - 11:57 am:
I think you are right Sara, Grasse belongs in one of your deserts preferably without rattlesnakes[Hank can go with her for company and i bet they still stay in good condition]
Jos
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Sunday, Sep 21, 2008 - 12:39 pm:
Yes, they both sound like a few horse I know. I think I could keep a couple of them on an asphalt lot with no feed and they'd somehow gain weight!
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Sunday, Sep 21, 2008 - 12:54 pm:
I could keep Hank on an asphalt lot and still need to muzzle him!
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Monday, Sep 22, 2008 - 8:38 am:
Beet pulp has a higher digestible energy content than most grasses and a little lower than alfalfa. But that energy is not in the form of starches and other non-structural carbohydrates, for more see the article on Beet Pulp in the nutrition section.
DrO
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Member:
paardex
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Posted on Tuesday, Sep 23, 2008 - 7:20 am:
You won't believe this: Grasse [altough on about 4 acres more or less gras with a friend [Cascade] who thinks that's adequate food[and he is twice her size] was caught sneeking through a wall of brambles to the manure heap looking for leftover hay from the broadmares!!! Coughing mystery solved.
I just spend three hours setting up new electric fencing and putting Grasse alone and out of reach of ANY form of hay once again.
Jos
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Member:
frances
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Posted on Tuesday, Sep 23, 2008 - 8:51 am:
What a cunning wench! Somehow they're always one step ahead of us At least you've got your answer now.
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Tuesday, Sep 23, 2008 - 12:48 pm:
I think I should send her a Euro so she can call the French version of the SPCA. She's obviously really being mistreated now!
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Member:
paardex
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Posted on Tuesday, Sep 23, 2008 - 2:20 pm:
She would definitely use the euro to buy carrots. You'd better send her a phonecard
Jos
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