Re: RC: Re: Electrolyting for Endurance Competition

[Howard4567@aol.com]

In a message dated 6/5/01 11:07:03 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
suendavid@worldnet.att.net writes:

> Even in horses that "seem to be fine", we're seeing
>  blood work that indicates deficiencies, and there's a hypothesis (mine) 
that
>  the secondary dehydration is possibly causing chronic renal damage to the
>  higher performing animals.  Much more research needed in that area.

This is a bit scary to me.  Not to rehash a prior discussion, but Susan's 
studies, and others concerning endurance horses, will, probably, bring to 
light the fact that we all do take our horses closer to the edge than we may 
realize.  

I know most of you don't want to hear it from me, that silly Florida redneck 
who rides a 17 hand American Saddlebred attempting to complete a 50 mile 
endurance ride (wrong horse for endurance, most will say), and my idea of 
science usually involves experiments like "how many beers can one drink, 
safely, the nite before the run?"

But, this is all food for thought, and coming from Susan, it's a feast.  I've 
talked to just about every vet I've met about this subject.  The overwhelming 
consensus is we really need to pay attention here.  That edge, just out of 
site over the horizon, is much closer than we may think it is.  The horse 
must come first, before the sport.

cya,
Howard (Dance Line looks so good; the sport of endurance has done something 
phenomenal to his body.  This is a great thing)