Questions about feeding sugarbeet and weight

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HaffiesRock

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Hi everyone

We are lacking grass at our yard and my pony is looking slim. He's fit and well, just not getting much grass. He's getting plenty of hay (lives out 24/7) and was being fed a stubbs scoop (1.5kg) of Calm and Condition split over 2 feeds. I got through 3 bags and couldn't see any difference in him at all.

A friend suggested I change to unmollased sugar beet pulp as the energy was similar, you can feed more of it and its cheaper/lasts longer. I bought a bag and was amazed at how much it grew when soaked!

Anyway, I've been adding the sugar beet and reducing the C&C over the last week or so and have also added some graze on.

He is now getting 1kg sugar beet (unsoaked weight) split over two feeds with a stubbs scoop of graze on mixed into each. It looks a very substantial feed and he eats it relatively slowly, stopping to eat hay in between a few mouthfuls.

So my questions are:

How much would be the maximum to feed in one go? I feed from the small flexitubs and it is about 2/3 full. Is this OK as the feed is wet and fiber based and he doesn't rush it?

Will sugar beet and graze on add any weight to my pony at the levels I am feeding?

I read this article and didn't realise how good it actually was. http://thehorsenutritionist.co.uk/330/the-hidden-benefits-of-feeding-sugar-beet-pulp/

Will my pony miss out on anything on the diet I am feeding?

I will just add he also gets a full spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement as well as access to a salt and mineral lick. He is happy and looking healthy. I can post a recent picture if anyone wants to see how he looks.

Thanks
 
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I found adding a supplement of linseed and fenugreek to my mare's feeds helped with weight in the winter and she was having sugarbeet.

Get it from a company called "Naturaliving Horse" but there are other suppliers.
The fenugreek helps with absorption/digestion and makes the feeds attractive.

Could help to make better use of the food you are already providing and promote appetite.
And it's quite cheap (at least the one I get is, lasts a while).
 
Aarrghimpossiblepony said:
I found adding a supplement of linseed and fenugreek to my mare's feeds helped with weight in the winter and she was having sugarbeet.

Get it from a company called "Naturaliving Horse" but there are other suppliers.
The fenugreek helps with absorption/digestion and makes the feeds attractive.

Could help to make better use of the food you are already providing and promote appetite.
And it's quite cheap (at least the one I get is, lasts a while).
Click to expand...

Lack of appetite is not a problem we have!

I have increased his work the last couple of weeks too, so for now I will stick with what he has and see how he looks. I will definitely add micronised linseed in the future though as I have read such good things about it on here.

Found this useful too http://www.britishhorsefeeds.com/horse-nutrition/features-articles/beaten-to-a-pulp
 
Reading those links I'm embarrassed to admit that in the late seventies we all started pooh poohing sugar beet and went for the various mixes and pony nuts.:o

Now back on sugar beet and just think how dumb were we to fall for the marketing. And speedibeet is a great help. Being able to give a warm feed to a pony shivering in the field this winter was really good.
 
First pony in 1981 and we loved sugar beet at my yard. I felt very grown up having to plan my pony's diet and soak 24hrs before needing it! The only mix I remember being available to us was mainring - red or blue depending if you wanted a rocket or a rocking horse :p

I have always fed SB - but only in winter. Since having my TB I swapped to Alphabeet as we needed more fibre less sugar - for the obvious reasons, but still love sugar beet. I ended up this year on AB and speedibeet - unmolassed fast soaking sugar beet. That combined with micronised linseed works well to put weight on.

Check with others but it might be too high in sugar for this time of year with the risk of laminitus ??? :D
 
Sounds like my lad.

He was quite thin, but in 3 weeks he has gone from poor to quite well covered.
Been feeding fast fibre, chaff, course mix and a big helping of sunflower oil twice a day. He has a stunning shiny coat i have noticed since feeding the oil. I also give my mare the oil and it has given her a bit more zing too. :)
 
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