Re: RC:

[Tivers@aol.com]

'And I answered:


<< They're not as readily pulled directly from circulation for the 
 same purpose, particularly when there is an abundance of glucose." 
 and you implied several other places you did not feel this was a
 significant source.
 
 I said "could not be used" because that was the impression I was getting
 from you-I
 totally agree with the "inhibited but not eliminated" statement!
 
 So we really aren't that far apart in our thinking about how the systems
 work at this point-
 I feel like I've made some progress in my understanding the "big picture", 
 though there are still lots of holes we need to plug. Hope you feel the same.
 Susan and I are plotting our next research projects.... >>


Yes. the fact is that, at current levels of exertion in endurance 
competition, with HRs typically under 130 all the way, the fat-burning 
inhibitions seen with athletes working at 60-70% VO2 max are not as 
pronounced at these lower levels. As far as the body is concerned, it's not 
as much of an emergency situation. So you get a more complex mix of substrate 
use. At this point, there is very little literature available in horses 
concerning this working mix--and even in the human literature, it is still 
unclear concerning VFAs and the acetate pathway. 

My thrust with the sheikh has been to move him into more strenuous training, 
with the final goal to compete at higher percentages of VO2 max. In doing 
this, though, I have to watch those substrate fluxes carefully. That is, if I 
can. And, really, the only genuine way to watch them is under performance 
conditions--what happens when you do this or that. So, from the field trial 
standpoint, I'm looking for "this and that" to try--and have tried, sometimes 
by error, some pretty exotic stuff.

ti