Ridecamp: Re: [RC] Preloading electrolytes

>I've just purchased a small bucket of lytes which is >formulated for
stomachs in an alkaline state - that is for >endurance horses - so the
formula is on the acidic side >>(can't find the brochure right now to give
the >breakdown so working from memory).  So, would I be >doing any damage by
pre-loading with this formula or >would it be OK to start on Thursday for
Saturday?

Hmmmm.  OK, this has got me a little baffled (not difficult to do,
actually)<g>.  I agree that endurance horse's *blood* pH typically tends to
be on the alkalotic side, but not the stomach pH.  *Any* horse stomach is
going to be acidic, short of having tubed in about a gallon of Maalox.  So
I'm a little puzzled as to what's in an elyte formula that would be
formulated for an alkaline stomach---unless, as you said you're working from
memory, it was actually just meant that it doesn't contain any sodium
bicarb???  Which again has to do with blood pH rather than the pH of the GI
tract, and is entirely appropriate for endurance horses.

>I tried this formula during the ride this past Saturday and >my boy drank
like a star - I didn't pre-load with it >though, I used my other lytes which
is running out.

If your horse did well with it during the ride (always good to hear), and it
contains a high proportion of sodium, than it's appropriate for pre-loading
as well. :-))

Susan G



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