Beet Pulp for Horses: When & How to Supplement It

Beets are a root vegetable full of nutrients and other beneficial substances like fiber. Consuming beets can help lower blood pressure, cleanse the digestive tract, and improve oxygen uptake. Beet pulp is a byproduct of the sugar beet production process. When sugar is extracted from beets, a fibrous material known as beet pulp is left over.

With the sugar removed and the fiber dried, the remaining beet pulp is full of digestible fiber. It is also low in fat, sugar, and protein. Horses can receive good fiber, tons of nutrients, and almost 1000 calories per day from beet pulp. Additionally, beet pulp is an excellent source of calcium and phosphorus.

Benefits for Horses

Beet pulp is an excellent source of nutrition for your horse. Not only will he have a high-calorie, low-sugar supplement, but he will also receive a lot of good fiber. Beet pulp can help a horse with digestive issues. Moreover, it can help lose excess weight or maintain a healthy weight.

Horses enjoy beet pulp that is dry or softened in water. Many owners break it up and mix it into other feeds.

Feeding Guidelines

When to Supplement

Almost all horses can benefit from beet pulp. Before adding beet pulp to your horse’s diet, consult a veterinarian. Horses with weight issues and dental problems will benefit the most from the fibrous vegetables. Horses, like humans, need fiber to keep a healthy weight and digestive tract. In particular, senior horses who struggle to chew can benefit from beet pulp.

How Much to Feed

Before adding beet pulp to your horse's diet, you need to consider his overall diet, age, weight, and activity level. The general rule is that a horse should consume less than 30% of his diet from beet pulp. Make sure to slowly introduce the beet pulp to avoid upsetting the digestive tract.

Preparation and Feeding Methods

Beet pulp can be served dry or softened in water. If you choose to make it easier to chew, you should soak your beet pulp in a 1:3 ratio of pulp to water. Your beet pulp should be ready for consumption in 30 minutes at this ratio.

If you serve it dry, you must ensure that water is regularly offered to your horse. Because of the dryness, the beet pulp pulls water from your horse’s body, possibly leading to dehydration.

Best Practices

Determining Individual Needs

Beet pulp has several nutritional benefits. Your horse may need one or a few of these benefits—factor in your horse's activity level, age, weight, and other health concerns. Additionally, assess his overall dental health. Senior horses struggle to chew hay, and softened beet pulp can be a superb supplement.

Incorporating into the Diet

Feed your horse beet pulp separately from his meals or mix it with oats, grains, or hay. Often, owners will supplement beet pulp to replace hay. Beet pulp is a good option for senior horses that cannot chew hay safely. Younger horses can also struggle to chew or digest for other reasons, including dental issues. 

Monitoring Your Horse's Response

You should monitor your horse’s response to any new supplement immediately and over time. Beet pulp usually helps digestive issues but can cause more severe problems for some horses. Contact your veterinarian to determine the best ways to monitor your horse’s health.

Potential Concerns with Beet Pulp

Common Misconceptions

Beet pulp is healthy for horses of all weights. It can be an excellent supplement for the overweight and the underweight horse. Even horses with healthy weights and active lifestyles can benefit from beet pulp.

Moreover, there is a misconception that beet pulp can completely replace hay or pasture. For a healthy horse, this is not the case. It should only replace hay for older horses who can no longer chew their hay. However, it does lack many nutrients that hay and pasture provide.

Possible Side Effects

Like other supplements, there are possible side effects from consuming beet pulp. If beet pulp is not soaked properly, it can cause colic as it absorbs moisture from your horse’s body. Some horses may be allergic to beet pulp, which causes respiratory issues.

Interactions with Other Feeds

Beet pulp is largely unnecessary for horses already receiving high-fiber diets. On the other hand, horses receiving a high-calcium diet may struggle with calcium absorption because of beet pulp. Always consult your veterinarian or nutritionist before adding beet pulp to your horse’s diet. Moreover, you must take into consideration all his health needs.

Case Studies and Research Findings

Beet pulp has been researched to determine its benefits for horses. Several studies have investigated its benefits and effects as a supplement.

In a study published in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, researchers found that beet pulp improved a horse’s digestibility and increased the production of volatile fatty acids. With this finding, we can suggest that beet pulp helps horses with digestive issues.

Another study published in the Journal of Animal Science found that beet pulp contains many nutrients similar to hay and pasture. While it cannot be a total replacement for hay, it can be an excellent partial replacement. This can help horses with weight issues and digestion issues. Several other case studies show the benefits of beet pulp. One study found that an owner can reduce the symptoms of chronic colic in her horse with adequately hydrated beet pulp.

Research shows that beet pulp has many benefits. Owners can work closely with a veterinarian to set up the best plan for adding beet pulp as a supplement. For horses suffering from weight or digestive issues, beet pulp may alleviate some of their symptoms. 

Healthy Horses – mentally, emotionally, and physically

This article has shed some light on best feeding practices and the options out there for supplementing with beet pulp.  

Remember, here at Parelli Natural Horsemanship, we are wanting to balance our horses in all areas – mentally, emotionally and physically.  This is where a solid training program comes in alongside quality feed and feeding routines.  Level 1 of the Parelli Program is where this all starts.  You learn how to build a language with your horse so that you can communicate and develop your skills first on the ground and then riding.  If you’re ready to take the next step in building your partnership with your horse, check out Level 1 today!