From: Wildfire
Hey ya Spirit
 I like how you do the beet pulp now...  that's basically exactly how I do it here... plus with the hot water, by the time you're ready to feed and mix the rest in, they still get to enjoy a warm meal.  I am doubly impressed that you take the time to fix up his concoction 3 times a day. That  is wonderful !!!! As I'm sure you know, with the way a horses digestive system works,  more smaller meals is much better than one large one.  I still think you may want to look into the rice bran, as it is not only high in fat content, but it also supplements the beet pulp great (rice bran high in phosphorous - beet pulp high in calcium), and it's also a source if vitamin B12 and B1 and aids in the absorption of glucose frome the gut. It also contains aneurine which forms an enzyme essential for the metabolism of carbohydrates. You may also consider looking into how much vitamin A he is receiving, as it is present in green grass to a certain extent, but there is very little in grains. A deficiency will lead to runny eyes as well as poor coat and skin condition as well as a lowering of his immune system resistance. Though be careful with toxicity as vitamin A is fat soluble and can't be voided quickly. 

From: HorseWitch.
Bev I would start adding a extra handful(beet pulp) to each meal  and up it weekly till he is getting about 4 cups a meal .I would start with 1 handful to one meal for 2 days then 1 handful to 2 meal for 2 days and then  1 for 3 meals a day and then go five days like that and start the adding over again until he is up to about 4 cups per meal.

From: IrishCream 
 Beverly,
    Nice to see someone like me that would buy a horse in that condition.  I also have a weak spot for horses or anything that can't help it's self.  Good thing that you took it home,  or ot prob would have gone to the slaughter place.  I have an old horse too and he is skinny.  I have given many suggestions for the weight gain.  Look at horse health posting board for some of them.  In my studies trying to find him something to gain weight I have found much information.  isn't it terrible how many manners the old horses have and no one wants any thing to do with them because they don't look showy!   But then some of the well put together horses.....the eye catchers,  are only nice to look at.  Can't be trusted behind you, or under saddle even.  Any way.  A good senior feed with abpot 7 or 8% fat if you can find one.  Beet pulp(soaked in hot water).  one part of shredded beet pulp to 4 parts of hot water.  soak it AT LEAST 15 minutes.  Add it to the senior feed corn oil--1/2 to 1 cup a day.  If the horse dosn't like the oil taste,  you casn add 1/3 cup of molasses to the mixture.  A probiotic is also good for gaining weight.  I just started hearing of them. Many people sent me information on it.  I guess it is like yogurt in a way that it has the good bacteria in it to assist digesion.   some people have suggested rice bran also.  alfalfa cubes soaked in hot water can also be added to the feed at about 1 or 2  coffee cans a day, but start out small( like a spaghett-o's can a day until they get used to it.  I have some other great sites for you all to look at as soon as I find the paper that I wrote it on.good luck, and it nice to know that one more horse has a home.

From: Rosemadi
Just want to remind you all about A & M if they can't chew hay.  It is finely chopped alfalfa with Molasas, I mixed up a huge tub of that with the soaked beet pulp, and other ingredients, sr feed, oil, etc, I gave him a total by weight of A & M that I would hay (Roughly about 2.5 to 3 coffee cans).  Do it by weight NOT volume!  Remember corn weighs more than oats and oats weigh more than bran, etc.
Good luck with Oakie!

Okie is doing great, he is loosing all of that long hair, in big patches.  Everytime I touch him I am covered with it.  He is still gaining and looking better every day. Okie is putting on weight, he is getting 2 small coffee cans of beet pulp, (with water to hydrate) and 6 small coffee cans of senior feed twice a day.  He has seen an equine dentist, and he told me to try some rice bran.  It took a while to find who carried it but got a bag yesterday and just started him on that.  It is low protein/high fat energy which older horses tolerate better, it isn't so hard on their kidneys or digestive system.  I have started with about 1/4 cup and will work up to 1/2 pound twice a day.

This is Okie now on Oct 2 2002.In these pages you have read some of  what is involved rehabbing a starving horse.Please rember what we share in these pages is not right for every horse in every situation.Each case is unique and should be treated as such.Much of our advice is based on personel experience.A vet must always be consulted when rehabbing any horse.many of us will gladly share what we have learned over the years.But please know that we are  not vets  or nutrional experts ,just every day people trying to do the best we can with what we have    please note that a lot of the post have been edited for space.I want to thank each member for your contribution to these pages