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Re: [RC] When to stop feeding fat before a race - Susan E. Garlinghouse, DVMfats completely out of the digestive tracts by the ride start. She wants just forage and low-glycemic carbos (like plain beet pulp (no molasses) during a ride. I do want to maximize structural carbohydrates and minimize fats during ride weekend, but I'm also okay with a moderate amount of simple carbs , ie grain, in the beet pulp mash over the weekend. Assuming the horse doesn't have carbohydrate-sensitive issues, ie tying up, PSSM, Cushings, laminitis, etc. She also stated that high glycemic foods (like grain) during the ride cause a spike in blood sugar followed by a deep valley where the horse will lose energy and enthusiasm, plus it suppresses fat utilization, Yup. However, again, I'm okay with *some* simple carbs being utilized during a ride. I think the important thing regarding simple carbohydrates is to understand that there is a wide variability in how individual horses respond to, adapt (or not) to carbohydrtae intake and in how well they are able to convert blood glucose to intracellular stored energy available for work. It's critical not to think that because Rider A feeds carbs a certain way and won such and such a ride, that the same will be true for every other horse as well. It's no different than assuming one saddle will fit every horse and result in perfect performance. There are just too many variables. The final big point from her talk - the burning of fat is 95% efficient vs 50-70% for carbos. Any unused utilization is converted to heat and/or passed from the body. Since heat is one of our biggest issues, this a very important consideration. I should have explained this in sligtly more detail during Friday's talk (or Saturday's or whenever this point was made.) Structural carbohydrates are roughly 50-70% utilized, with the excess producing heat, feces, etc. The more simple the carbohydrate, the more efficiently it is utilized, so that very simple sugars and starches are utilized at a rate very similar to fats---in the 95% range. At that point, the differentiating argument becomes exactly how the absorbed substrates affect the body, ie blood glucose levels, etc. It's nice to see you were paying such close attention, Mike. Does my fuzzy little heart good. :-))) Susan G SUSAN E. GARLINGHOUSE, DVM, MS Michael S. Peralez, DVM & Associates 1005 North Santa Anita Drive Arcadia, California 91006 (626) 446-8911 http://www.shady-acres.com/susan ============================================================ REAL endurance is dressing for 20 degrees in the AM and by noon its 85 degrees! ~ Heidi Sowards ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/ ============================================================
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