Question
I have a horse that is insulin resistant, and she is prone to lameness year-round. Please tell me the best method to feed beet pulp pellets. Unfortunately, I do not have access to shredded beet pulp. I live in Montana, where it is now freezing cold, and I would like to get the mare started on the feed.
Answer
Beet pulp is an excellent addition for horses that cannot tolerate diets high in starch, like your mare diagnosed with insulin resistance. Because the beet pulp is a new addition to her diet, I would add it slowly, starting with 0.25 to 0.5 pound (113 to 226 grams) and increasing gradually until you reach the desired amount needed to maintain your horse’s weight. The amount needed to maintain your horse in a desirable condition could range from one or two pounds per day, and perhaps as much as four pounds each day.
I would recommend soaking your beet pulp pellets for a couple of reasons. First, beet pulp pellets can be quite hard (much harder than other pellets) and soaking will soften them while allowing your horse to get used to the texture. Second, soaking the pellets will allow you to increase water intake in your horse (or at least give you some insurance for maintaining hydration), which can be a problem in cold climates.
The easiest way to keep a steady supply of soaked beet pulp pellets is to start soaking the pellets when feeding the previous meal of presoaked pellets. That will give the pellets ample time to break apart and absorb the water. Be sure to keep the beet pulp in an area that is not freezing, which may mean bringing it into the house if you do not have a heated feed room in the barn. If you are in a real hurry, the pellets can be covered with hot water and left to soak 30 minutes before feeding.
Of course, in addition to the beet pulp pellets, you should check that you’re providing between 1% and 2% of your mare’s body weight (12-24 lb for a 1200-lb horse, or 5.5-11 kg for a 550-kg horse) per day in good-quality hay. If in doubt, it’s best to feed more than you think you need, especially if you’re trying to maintain weight on a hard keeper or promote weight gain.
Additionally, you might want to slowly add up to a cup of oil to the diet (purchase generic “vegetable oil” at your local grocery store but make sure it’s soy or canola) and supplement with a balancer pellet (fed at 1-2 pounds per day) or Micro-Max (fed at 120 grams per day) to ensure all of her nutrient requirements are being met.
