Re: conditioning effects

["Maggie Mieske" <mmieske@netonecom.net>]

This has become a very educational thread...I don't know everything but I
am glad to see some of the things I have learned and practice surface here.
 I do have a question along this line that has to do to responses to
conditioning....when a horse has become fairly fit or at least on his road
to it, will the rib cage actually expand?  I know this sounds weird but in
the past few months, my horse's rib cage actually seems "sprung" or
something....don't know how to describe it.  At first, I thought weight
loss (he hasn't lost any and actually is heavier...muscle weighs more than
fat, right?)...he did finally put on a little extra "fat" over his back and
a little on his ribcage.  But he still has that "sprung ribcage" look.  I
have looked at other endurance horses and have seen this but always thought
it was associated more with leanness or weight loss.  He is fitter than I
have ever seen him, even after a couple of months off....we went on a brisk
conditioning ride yesterday... about 10 miles. (Gotta get ready for that
first hundred miler, ya know!)  Have to be careful cuz it's snowy and
slippery out but we alternated trotting and an easy gallop here and there
where it appeared safe to do so with some walking....didn't want them too
sweated as it was getting close to evening and cooling off.  The horses ALL
did great!!  As if it were the end of the season and they're fit as a
fiddle!!  Didn't stress them one bit (will plan to stress them more as
daytime lengthens and weather warms!)   I know I am paranoid...my husband
gets so mad at me!  Poor man!  But the rib cage thing is something we have
discussed but I felt foolish mentioning it here.  Silly me...any thoughts
or observations from anyone on this?  Thanks!  


Maggie Mieske
Mieske's Silver Lining
10601 S. Richards Rd.
McBain, Michigan 49657
http://www.netonecom.net/~mmieske
mmieske@netonecom.net