I have read a little about your products. I do try to do most things holistically with my animals if I have comfortable direction in the correct way to go.  I bought 2 Frieisns 1 1/2 yrs ago and have been feeding Purina Strategy because that was recommended to me and apparently we have to be very careful with them – low carb, low sugar etc. and I was afraid not to do what they said. But…I have always had a problem with processed feeds so it has always bugged me. So…I am interested in the possibility of switching to Oats but thought they were high in sugar? Could this be done with Friesians? My horses also have been on free choice minerals (Advanced Biological Concepts products) and do use on a regular basis A mix, BVC mix, kelp, Soft Coal, plain sea salt, copper. But…they still eat some dirt (not nearly as much as they did a year ago but one of the horses recently has started eating some again and they always work on the trees). One horse has some hoof problems – getting better – but have been working on for 1 1/2 yrs – hoof separation/white line disease. So, I guess my bottom line is can you help me revamp their program? Pam Mc.

Thanks for asking. I am glad you are getting off commercial feed. I suggest the same as the thousands of others. That would be  oats. There is a lot of misinformation about oats especially about them being high in sugar. Yes they do have carbs but not really a high sugar (glycemic index) type grain. Also they are the only grain which is digested in the hind gut which makes them very very good and much less likely to cause colic etc. They must however be supplemented properly. We suggest for that our Just Add oats and our Weight Check oil supplements.  I really also suggest you consider our Red Cal free choice instead of what you mentioned. For now I would also use our Hoof Check. Once on our other products for awhile you probably won’t need this one but it will hasten the hoof issue to better hoofs. It even would never hurt to continue. We do have fresians as well as essentially every other breed on the program. It is as easy as just a gradual switch though even switching "cold turkey" we have never had an issue. Oats as seed heads are the most closest thing to a natural diet by the way compared to other grains. There is an audio on the website www.whattofeedyourhorse.com and an article in the magazine too. I do prefer the weight Check supplement over our other oil called H2Oil as well. It is just giving us better results overall.

Ok – wow – makes sense, sounds simple A couple more questions: Along with the hoof issues on one horse he also has had some scratches/dermitis issues = it was major last year and I ended up having to shave his feathers (they were very thick) in order to keep this issue away – still some scar tissue. We no longer have any open sores or anything but just some flaky skin in some places. I would not want to add anything that I do not have too but just wanted to know if you had additional thoughts on that.  We had been feeling that the white line and the scratches were all connected somehow. Does beat pulp have any place in the program? I have been feeding a little soaked beet pulp to help with keeping sand out of their system along with metamucil 1 week a month. Should I leave out the supplements that I currently have free choice along with the Red Cal? Would it be possible that they need something individually? For instance – the reason I give copper free choice was because that was one mineral that showed up as low from a hair analysis test.  Sulphur also showed up low but they hardly ever touch that.

No copper. Gets all else out of balance. Absolutely NO beet Pulp. Sucks all nutrition out of gut and potential for pesticides and sugar. No need for other supplements either. Good observation on white line and scratches. I agree that they are related. For both in my opinion the body is attempting to discharge "junk". Therefore we need to help support the body by immune support AND  liver detox. I would add the Joint Check supplement for this (this products is like 2 products in one _ every thing in Health Check PLUS all the extra joint ingredients which also help connective tissue like the skin in this issue) listen to the audio on thrush and white line in the library section of our website for additional info. Topically you could apply the Grape Balm, but the key is internal support. 

Also, here is an article with more information about Beet Pulp that was shared with me…

Beet Pulp Toxic To Horses? The Real Story

by Lorrie Bracaloni

 

· Beet pulp is an insoluble fiber, meaning that it does not interact with the body. It rushes through the intestines taking with it whatever supplements have been given. Simply put, it cannot be digested. It takes four molecules of water for the body to process beet pulp adding water weight, and making the horse appear heavier. Once beet pulp is removed from the diet, the horse loses weight quickly, leading the owner to believe that the horse needs the beet pulp.

 

As a holistic practitioner for more than 12 years, I have assisted more than 100 horse owners with equine diets and nutrition. I have studied and gained quite a bit of experience with equine veterinarian, Dr. Lee Miller, for 15 years. It is my intention to share my personal experiences, both educational and in the field, regarding what I have learned about feeding beet pulp.

 

Nutrition and digestive processes affect performance and overall condition. Different feeds break down differently based on the horse. Some of these effects include lameness, arthritis, colic, and other health-related illnesses.

 

Many times feed companies and veterinarians will recommend beet pulp for COPD horses for added fiber, or as an alternate hay and grass source. Although beet pulp may present no problems in the short-term, there are no significant studies on the long-term effects.

 

Beet pulp originates from sugar industry. It is an insoluble fiber, meaning that it does not interact with the body. It rushes through the intestines taking with it whatever supplements have been given. Simply put, it cannot be digested. It takes four molecules of water for the body to process beet pulp—adding water weight, and making the horse appear heavier. Once beet pulp is removed from the diet, the horse loses weight quickly, leading the owner to believe that the horse needs the beet pulp.

 

Dr. Joyce Harman of the Harmany Equine Clinic (www.harmanyequine.com) states that not all sugar can be eliminated from soaking the beets, therefore some remains in the pulp. Sugar contributes to insulin-resistance, and a condition known as Cushing’s syndrome.

 

Like many other crops, sugar beets are treated with an extensive array of herbicides to limit weeds and grasses in the fields. The herbicides are absorbed by the beets. Nothing removes the chemicals from the pulp. In addition, growers top the beet plants with a chemical defoliant to kill back the tops before harvest. These chemicals also end up by-product beet pulp.

 

Dr. Eleanor Kellon, DMV, says that beet pulp is safe; it is washed with water to remove the solvents. However, the water only removes what is on the outside. The soaking process removes the sugar from the outside, but not the chemicals. Toxins are stored in the pulp not the juice.

 

Often, the horse is unable to digest the beet pulp. Their hind-ends “shut down” and become weak. The common complaint being, “my horse has a weak hind-end.”

I once treated a horse that had suffered from laminitis for over eight months. The owner had done her best, and called me to make the horse comfortable with an acupressure massage. When I arrived, I found a beautiful horse lying down for more than four hours a day in great pain. Her owner was giving her supplements, totaling more than 80 percent protein, plus Phenylbutazone (bute) and Banamine, every day. I asked if the horse had coliced, she replied that she had not. To our surprise, when we checked the feed, the second ingredient was beet pulp. This program of feed and medication was going on for more than six months! The horse was treated with homeopathics and a probiotic. When the mare finally stood, her rear, back hind was almost completely under her and flat, a common symptom in beet pulp-fed horses. The mare could barely move. The beet pulp was moving everything through her. It had merely prevented the horse from colicing.

 

A reputable event trainer, Katie Wherley from Rock Solid Training Center, asked me to check her horses. I found was they were all weak in the hind-end, and Katie agreed. After looking at a tag from her feed, we found beet pulp listed as the third ingredient. After Katie took her horses off the beet pulp feed, she called to say they were using their hind-ends, and were much stronger.

 

Another owner, M.D. Kerns, wrote in to tell me about his horse that had been on beet pulp for nine months. “Although I was very skeptical at the onset, I am now prepared to admit that Bodhi [the horse] is looking much different and much fitter than he did when he was on the other feed [beet pulp]. His coat looks good as ever and his waist (loss of all the water trapped in the hind-gut by the beet pulp fiber) is nearly back to its former Thoroughbred elegance and slimness, he is without a doubt the most handsome horse at the farm.”

 

What does this all mean? Ask yourself these questions:

 

•Does my horse feel weak in the hind end?

•Are his hooves brittle?

•Does it seem like his stifles are weak?

•Does my horse appear to be lacking energy?

•What about the coat? Is it dull?

•Does my horse have loose stools? Are his stools loose or hard?

 

Try the following for three months. Take your horse off beet pulp, and use good quality green hay. Make sure that your horse has access to vitamins and minerals. In addition, read your feed labels. Most of them list “roughage by-products” which can actually contain beet pulp. Take a before and after picture, and really look at the hind-end. Notice how your horse moves after three months.

Wouldn’t you agree that prevention is far cheaper than the cost of treating health problems? We are our horse’s caregivers. We owe it to them to be as knowledgeable and informed about what we put into them.

 

NOTE from ProfitPro: Beet pulp has an inverted calcium/phosphorus ration. It is a LOW calorie (contrary to popular belief), HIGH fiber product which gives the impression that the horse is gaining weight. Sadly, it is water weight. Another question to ask is this: the horse’s natural diet does not contain beet pulp so would your horse eat beet pulp out in the “wild?”

 

 

 

Bookmark It

Hide Sites