Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

If the AERC wants a research project, how about correlating the types of 
treatments over time. When I started in the late 80's tie up were common 
place - in the hot humid conditions. It was not unusual to see horses 
peeing black. Seems today colics are common and we don't (at least at 
the rides I go to) see many tie ups. There is two differences between 
then and now. The type and the amount of electrolytes used. I hear my 
first talk on electrolytes in 1989 at a clinic from Dr. Ridgeway so they 
have been around for a long time. On the other hand we all rolled our 
own in those days. Either the Ridgway mix or the Fraizer mix and maybe 
some others. Today we have many different mixes various components. Many 
of these components have organic salts along with inorganic salts.

Could it be that it's not the electrolytes per se but the type given 
and/or the amounts given? Many riders give a lot more these days than in 
say '98. Before we condemn, it would be nice to have some understanding 
of what is going on. My guess too little - predisposes many horses to 
tieing up, to much may predispose it to colic. Hopefully the data is 
available to take a look and try to make some sense out of it. As they 
say, lets not throw out the baby with the bathwater. Too much of a good 
thing may ture out to be the issue.

Truman

Laura Hayes wrote:

> I have stopped using everything but Se/E and Cosequin. I did 1200+ 
> miles on five different horses last year with no e'lytes at all. I 
> realize I did not set the world on fire in the speed department, but I 
> honestly think that all this shit people are giving their horses is 
> not helping and may hinder the horse's well being.
> I know...someone will tell me I have no hard scientific evidence, but 
> my formerly colicy mare has not coliced once in over 600 miles of 
> competition since I stopped shoving caustic crap down her throat - and 
> I tried the milder brands and different size doses AND adding Neighlox 
> to no avail.
> I am glad to see the French team say they use no oral supplements and 
> are successful. Maybe our national team would have been more 
> successful if those poor horses had not been NG TUBED with a very 
> caustic electrolyte at least 6 times in two weeks before the WEC.
> Flame away- this is something I feel very strongly about.
> Laura Hayes
> Vine Cliff Farms
> Brocton, NY
> AERC# 2741



--

“It doesn't matter how beautiful your theory is, it doesn't matter how 
smart you are. If it doesn't agree with experiment, it's wrong” Richard 
Feynman



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