Feeding unsoaked sugarbeet. 'being helpful'

Glad your horse is OK and YO going to sort it. What you don't need round horses is the sort of person who takes it upon themselves to do things to horses not in their care. These people need frogmarching off the yard with their ears ringing for a week and a yard broom up their :eek::cool:
 
My vet has dealt with several feed room accidents with tragic circumstances. Sugarbeet nuts, barley and wheat all killed.

I was astounded last year at a yard visit to a leading NH trainers open day. All the horses were given a double handful of speedibeet/quickbeet at lunchtime. When I asked, I ended up feeling rather silly, because I was told it is perfectly safe to feed unsoaked sugerbeet in small quantities.

Not something I would even consider personally. I label all my bins even though there is only 3 of us on my yard and I do all the feeding. The sugarbeet bin is put well away from pony nut and cattle nut bins, so you have to make a effort to get to that bin and dipping into the wrong bin cannot happen.

Had someone fed mine like the OP has had happen, I would probably be locked up shortly after dealing with them !
 
Argh, I think I'd be very furious.

Good intent or not that is simply out of order to feed someone else's horse... Even more so risking its life!

If there's a vets bill make sure you send it to them.
 
Years ago one of my youngsters escaped from his stable and ventured into the feed room; And, typically, the only bin he bothered to get into was the one containing the old fashioned mollassed sugar beet pellets. When I found him (only 15mins into his foray, thank goodness) he had a huge bulge midway down the underside of his neck. I was young and nearly had a heart attack. I ran to get the YO and we raised his head and tried to dislodge the 'lump' in his neck by massage. Then I got a 2L bottle of veg oil from the feedroom and drenched him with it [poured it down his throat - not over him BTW :D]. My thinking was that the oil might cover the sugarbeet pellets and help stop them swelling. I used the YO phone to call the vet (twas in the days before mobiles) and explained what had happened and he said we'd done the right thing and that there was little more he could do. He didn't offer to visit and just reassured me that the horse would "more than likely be just fine" but that we'd know within the next 24hrs. Obviously he also added that we were to telephone him immediately if anything changed. I left the YO to keep an eye on Kehsh and it was a very sleepness night I had before venturing to visit the yard in the morning. Thankfully a bright happy face greeted me over the door and he was none the worse for the experience. Phew.
 
That's awful!

If this was done to my horse, I would be absolutely fuming! I would have a very serious word with each and every livery/staff at the yard to make absolutely sure that everyone is aware of what has happened, how serious the situation could have been, and that they're all clear on how my horse should be looked after.

It's good that the YO is getting involved, but I would still personally speak to everyone too. I wouldn't care if I come across as a bitch - my horse's welfare comes before what other people think of me.
 
My section A had a mouthful of unsoaked beet once and was ill enough to require a vet. I thought she was going to die as she had beet coming out of her nose! It was an ' emergency' despite only having a small amount!
 
Must admit the way I'm feeling right now, I'd lamp them with a solicitors letter asking them to cease and desist!

That is after ripping their tonsils out through an alternative exit.
 
I think like most things it depends on the horse how much is consumed dry before it causes harm. The fact that it leeches water from the system would cause me worry, i think youre doing the right thing discussing with the vet as i would be concerned about a colic developing. Are you close enough to check again later tonight and first thing ?
If it was mine, id have went of like a mad woman, thankfully im on my own place where nobody does anything with them but me and my husband.
You have every right to be angry and upset.
 
If it WAS actual sugarbeet and not just Speedibeet, your is horse is very lucky not to have suffered! Sugarbeet has to be soaked for 24 hours - I used to use it for my elderly horse.
 
This happened yesterday afternoon but they only informed me of their 'helpfulness' today! I'm putting up big signs with YO permission that on no account is my horse ever to be fed!! Everyone at yard has been spoken to. The person who did it is now deeply sorry and I should hope has learnt a valuable lesson, his OH has also been spoken to. My non horsey OH would never have interfered with someone else's horse!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top