Beet Pulp / Alfalfa Cubes = Hotness?

[AllWeatherGal]

I know a lot more about riding than I do about horse feeding and care, so I suspect this is a very basic question and could find answers if I did a search, but don’t even know what to search for.

I know corn and molasses contribute to hotness, but beet pulp? Alfalfa cubes?

Yesterday a horse’s owner told me she’s taken the horse off alfalfa cubes and beet pulp (evening feed) because the horse has become pushy and obnoxious. The horse still gets some kind of pellet morning and evening and during the day grazes on fresh grass in season and giant bales of alfalfa in a pasture with two other horses.

The horse was a ‘safe’ (very lazy and unengaged) trail horse for novice riders when I started with her a year ago.

Since then we work on the trail together as well as “dressage” flatwork (that is, I ride in a dressage saddle and we work together on developing rhythm, suppleness, contact, straightness … impulsion is on the horizon, collection not even a glimmer).

I’m not bothered by the change in her personality – in fact I like it – so the question really is about the particulars of the feed. Could those two items really influence that much?

Thanks for muddling through the question that I’m trying to ask.

[JB]

A-pellets are much more likely to be the culprit than beet pulp.

Can’t rule out the beep, but I’d look to the alf first. Among allergens/things to cause a sensitive reaction, alf ranks right on up there.

[SLW]

Man, that is news to me and my horses get hydrated beet pulp (w/ molasses) with alfalfa chops twice daily. The amount of alfalfa chops is minimal- just to improve the flavor of the beet pulp and ward off ulcers.

I’d be eyeballing that big bale of fresh alfalfa hay the horse is munching on before worrying about the beet pulp which has more hay like qualities than grain/concentrate qualities.

It may be as simple as after a year, the horse is feeling better, in better shape and so responding to being ridden with more vigor.

[horsepoor]

If anything, I’d also be looking at the big bale of alfalfa before I’d worry about the beet pulp. And maybe the alfalfa pellets, but usually that doesn’t amount to that much (in quantity). I do have a horse that goes nuts if he even gets a tiny bit of alfalfa – it is his crack cocaine (he loves it, will turn himself inside out to get it, but it makes him nuts!).

When I was boarding, I always laughed at the people who about this time of year would start complaining about their horses being high. They’d go around removing all the grain from the horse’s diet, saying that’s the cause. Couldn’t be related to the cold weather, the muddy paddocks (so the horses don’t play, just stand), and less riding (because the people don’t want to come out in the cold/wet)…??? Every year I heard this.

[AllWeatherGal]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts … I think Owner is looking at what she’s feeding differently than before and the cubes and pulp are what she added as the horse’s activities increased. Horse and friends have always had pasture with round bale with the grass is sparse.

horsepoor … while days are shorter which makes getting out of work early enough to make it to the barn trickier (uhh, well, I don’t really have time to finish that proposal tonight, how about tomorrow morning? ), here in central Florida we canna complain about cold or mud very much this year.

Horse is a mare with opinions and I think she’s also developing more confidence about expressing them. But then, I appreciate the increased alertness We’ll see how the feed change goes.

Again, TY.

[horsepoor]

@AllWeatherGal;5328603

horsepoor … while days are shorter which makes getting out of work early enough to make it to the barn trickier (uhh, well, I don’t really have time to finish that proposal tonight, how about tomorrow morning? ), here in central Florida we canna complain about cold or mud very much this year.

Not knowing where you were, it wasn’t meant to be directed at you – just a side comment as that’s a common complaint up here. One clinician that I have ridden with a lot, and who always teaches in the worst of winter (like now) watches the wild horses we all try to ride and says we should just take the winter off or move south! And I’m in a fairly temperate climate.

[KateKat]

I think in my case, alfalfa might have had some effect, but I also think she was just getting too many calories. 6-7 flakes of grass hay, plus a couple lbs of alfalfa pellets twice a day. So come the change in weather, I had a fire breathing dragon on my hands for a couple of rides. Eliminated the pellets, and started feeding probably a pound of BP (prior to soaking) just to add some extra water into her diet and as a carrier for her supplements and flax seed. She’s a fairly easy keeper and I definitely think the change in diet made a difference.

It also could be that her horse is just feeling better, getting fitter and if she’s a novice type, is learning to push her around on the ground. Not necessarily issues related to feed, but if she wants to start there to see if there is an improvement I think its one of the easier things to do.

[coloredcowhorse]

[QUOTE=AllWeatherGal;5327787]
I know a lot more about riding than I do about horse feeding and care, so I suspect this is a very basic question and could find answers if I did a search, but don’t even know what to search for.

I know corn and molasses contribute to hotness, but beet pulp? Alfalfa cubes?[/QUOTE]

Cooler weather (even in Florida), probably less riding due to shorter days/holidays etc. and lots of feed…horse is probably just feeling really good. I feed straight alfalfa (almost all that is available here) and although my horses aren’t TB’s they are bred for quick reactions/hard work (cowhorses) and I don’t have problems with “hot”. Is there a chance that this horse is just figuring out how to push her owner around a bit?

[tradewind]

My horse gets both and I have not noticed any hotness. As he gets more fit he is more forward (also more training so he uses himself better) but not hot in the least. Could she be confusing hotness with better impulsion?

[AllWeatherGal]

Thanks for the additional thoughts … yes, she’s kind of a dominant mare but I’m rarely casual, give the attentiveness I expect in return, and am quick to correct, having been taught as a rider to make adjustments before a big fix is required.

Her owner is an long-time self-taught horsewoman who wants her horses to be able to lead from a golf cart walk, over a mattress and back through water. Impulsion isn’t something she knows about or would value.

I’m clear that the horse belongs to her and not trying to interfere with her methods. I’m just there to ride the horse since she only has time for one and have noticed a slight increase in tension, but put it down to “fresher” air. I’ve never spent a lot of time investigating feed and supplements and my relationship with beet pulp was limited to BHS education many years ago where I (thought I) learned it was good for contributing bulk to a diet and gave horses something to chew on without adding a lot of energy.

I wondered if I was way off-base and the observation about free feeding from the round bale being a bigger “culprit” makes a lot of sense. I’m not sure my sharing the insight would be welcome, so I’ll have to be circumspect.