# Why do you feed sugar beet/speedi beet?



## icestationzebra (23 December 2009)

Just pondering really.  It is something I have always fed to help with condition but never fed it to current horse as she is a bit of a porker - however with the weather being so cold and the grazing being frozen I am starting to think she needs a bit more.  She is already on a high fibre/low starch diet and gets ad lib haylage and is not loosing condition but I just feel she would benefit from smaller amounts of speedi beet?  She is also really fussy about chaff and unless I mix her feeds well will leave it unless it is that sticky apple chaff stuff  
	
	
		
		
	


	





Just interested in the reasons you do or do not feed this?

Thanks


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## TGM (23 December 2009)

I feed sugar beet to my old girl who tends to lose weight because it is a cheap form of calories (12.5 MJDE/kg) from highly digestible fibre and helps to balance out the deficiencies in the oats she also gets.  Plus it is very palatable and less likely to be left than chaff.

I also find it useful for feeding when a horse might be a little dehydrated or bunged up and it is a great base to mix wormers, medications with as well.


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## V1NN (23 December 2009)

i feed fibre beet it only takes 45 mins to soak from cold water and its great for condition although he really doesnt need much x


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## icestationzebra (23 December 2009)

Good point about the hydration TGM.  I do get concerned that they seem to drink less in this weather purely because freezing water is not always that pleasant!


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## icestationzebra (23 December 2009)

Thank you!


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## MistletoeMegan (23 December 2009)

Cheap source of unmolassed fibre, and seems to be disproportionately effective in maintaining condition on my TB. 

And because I love the smell of my warm sugarbeet


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## CBFan (23 December 2009)

Cheap source of fibre and definately helps with condition too..


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## Prince33Sp4rkle (23 December 2009)

good for condition. Tb gets a scoop (dry weight) per day and the two fatties get a tiny handful to mix their supps with their lo-cal.


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## KatB (23 December 2009)

Hydration (hence why feeding it when competing too) condition and cheap!!


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## alsxx (23 December 2009)

I add it into winter feeds as its a good source of fibre and helps with condition, and no/low in starch and no mollases, which suits one of mine very well!


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## vicksey (23 December 2009)

I fed speedi beet all last winter, now feeding alfa beet, but I like to feed my horse something that is quite wet as he has colic'd in the past and I think it was due to too much hard feed as he was on a balancer and competition mix. He is getting a diet of lots of fibre with low sugar content and maintains condition very very well on this diet (alfa beet, hi fi and a balancer). Really rate the speedi beet and alfra beets


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## lisan (23 December 2009)

Someone gave me some, tried Rubes on it and she absolutely loves it!  Also for fibre and condition.


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## TelH (23 December 2009)

I feed speedibeet to my elderly TB type as it helps keep her condition on. This is my 1st winter with her, I was told she struggles to maintain her weight in the winter but so far with decent rugs and feed I have not had a problem. My other ponies get a tiny bit too but not much otherwise they would all balloon


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## Donkeymad (23 December 2009)

Bear in mind that speedibeet and sugarbeet have a vast difference in sugar levels, sugarbeet having around 20% and speedibeet, being unmolased, something around 3% (I think)


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## Toast (23 December 2009)

i feed it because its a fab source of fiber, its classed as a succulent and its easy to hide supplements and medicine in. Also good for hydration and keeping condition on during the winter.
My 3 love it 
	
	
		
		
	


	




x


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## kibob (23 December 2009)

I feed speedibeet to my 2 good doers and one PBA veteran. It's cheap as chips, they only get this and a tiny smidge of fast fibre along with herbs for vit/mineral supplement.  It's a great easy feed, the horses love it.  Like the fact that it hydrates as well, they adore their sloppy teas and look great on it 
	
	
		
		
	


	





Btw, icestationzebra,,, I love the pic far left of your avatar, what a stunning horse - def one of my faves on HHO


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## MerryMAL (23 December 2009)

Speedi-Beet for hydration, fibre, condition. It also adds variety to her feed and I've heard it encourages picky feeders to eat up. Also Speedi 'cos it's cheap and much more convenient than normal!


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## TURBOBERT (24 December 2009)

Not sure about 'chep as chips' - not up here it isnt - over £11 but it is still very good!  I have started also using Allen and Page FastFibre - only about £7.50 and fab for my oldies.


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## Janette (24 December 2009)

Slightly different reason - she eats it quicker.

Star takes ages to eat breakfast (Alfa A and Top Spec balancer)  and I'm stood there waiting for her to finish chewing everything 30 times after mucking out, making feeds/haynets etc. before I go to work. Alfa A with a scoop of soaked Speedibeet goes down a lot quicker than 2 scoops of Alfa A, sadly.  She gets the same energy as 2 scoops of Alfa, just organised differently.


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## icestationzebra (24 December 2009)

Really helpful


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