tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8889412391658819379.post3392872159799648150..comments2023-10-28T04:38:36.290-07:00Comments on Food for Founder: Another ApproachUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8889412391658819379.post-42726631764992702752008-06-10T21:34:00.000-07:002008-06-10T21:34:00.000-07:00Thanks again for your comment. I am a scientist t...Thanks again for your comment. I am a scientist through-and-through so the peer-reviewed literature is always my first source of information on such questions. In your shoes I would certainly defer to personal experience!<BR/><BR/>We feed a very low-carb hay to ensure that Tonka doesn't get too much sugar with his forage, but it also doesn't provide the kind of nutritional value they should be getting from their main source of feed. I do my best to make up for this by supplementing with a flax, sunflower seed, whole oats and alfalfa cubes (and corn oil for Raven). Everyone suggests that feeding beet pulp can help to make up for low quality forage, and I was simply trying to find a way to get it into them without (a) causing gastric problems for Raven and (b) overloading Tonka with sugar. The gradual dispensing of individual pellets seemed like a good idea until the vet said she thought Raven was dehydrated.<BR/><BR/>Anyhow, I've gone back to soaking for now (and draining off the water), but in lesser quantities. We'll see how it goes...dphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03072031429438530210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8889412391658819379.post-37567055195498564732008-06-10T03:47:00.000-07:002008-06-10T03:47:00.000-07:00little scientific evidence (though lots of anecdot...<I>little scientific evidence (though lots of anecdotal support)</I><BR/><BR/>Good enough for me. I've stood next to a horse that was spitting out blood from choke, trying to gently massage his neck and keep him as undistressed as possible. Four hours of that has cured me of risking choke ever again. <BR/><BR/>(In his case it was straight pellets, which expand some but not a great deal. He went back on straight oats and lived a long and healthy life, but it was a close call.)<BR/><BR/>I've also done the home experiment where you put a pellet into water and watch it expand. Quite frightening, really. Shreds are less dangerous, but they still expand enough. <BR/><BR/>If you do need to supplement them, have you tried oil? I'm even more fond of oil for putting on weight than sugarbeet.green_knighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16499896006012152260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8889412391658819379.post-9095673371311688152008-06-07T18:50:00.000-07:002008-06-07T18:50:00.000-07:00Thanks for your post and your concern. I have sto...Thanks for your post and your concern. I have stopped doing this for the latter reason. As for choke, there is little scientific evidence (though lots of anecdotal support) for it being associated with unsoaked beet pulp -- even in pelleted form. I was willing to take the risk of choke, but I am not willing to take that of further colics.dphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03072031429438530210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8889412391658819379.post-41884678187516935852008-06-07T16:22:00.000-07:002008-06-07T16:22:00.000-07:00*Please* do not feed unsoaked beet pulp, particula...*Please* do not feed unsoaked beet pulp, particularly not pellets. They expand upon contact with fluid, which might be in the throat (and choke is ugly), but they can also expand in the stomach or the gut, and as one of your horses is colic-prone *anyway*, making sure she stays well hydrated and is not exposed to anything that might slow down or impede gut function is utterly vital.<BR/><BR/>(came over from FHOTD)green_knighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16499896006012152260noreply@blogger.com