BEET PULP PROVIDES A TYPE OF FIBER THAT OFFERS UNIQUE NUTRITIONAL ADVANTAGES.

“The main role of beet pulp in a horse’s diet is fiber, just as with hay,” says Staniar. “But the beet pulp fiber is not the same as the fiber in hay. It’s much more easily digested, so it’s processed faster. We don’t think of fiber as providing much energy---and in the human diet it doesn’t---but in horses it’s a significant source of energy. Because the fiber in beet pulp is digested quickly, the energy and the calories it provides are available to a horse much faster than those that would come from hay.”

This, says Staniar, makes beet pulp a useful source of energy for horses who need a boost for athletic efforts or to support other functions, such as lactation. “It’s going to have more benefit for [equine athletes or broodmares] than, say, an easy-keeper gelding who spends most of his day in the field,” he says. “And in cases where horses need more calories, adding beet pulp to a diet may be a better option than adding more hay because of the difference in fiber type.”

For the same reasons, beet pulp is often a good choice for older horses who have trouble chewing or digesting hay. “It can be very beneficial for older horses whose teeth or digestive tracts can’t handle other types of fiber,” says Coverdale. “In fact, many of the senior feeds that are formulated as ‘complete feed’---meaning they include fiber---are beet pulp based.”

Beet pulp fiber provides another advantage: promoting healthy gut flora. “A horse extracts energy from fiber