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Joe Long wrote:

> On Wed, 3 Aug 2005 05:54:36 -0700, "Nancy Sturm" <nsturm@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>  
>
> > Thanks.
> >
> > As a former distance runner, then competitive cyclist,  I have been
> > wondering if I am making a mistake in applying training techniques that
> > work with human athletes to the physical conditioning of a horse.  Am I
> > understanding correctly that the same training strategies are appropriate
> > for the two different species?
> >    
>
> Some are, some are not.  There are significant physiological and mechanical
> differences between humans and horses.   I've done a little distance running
> myself, and still climb "fourteeners," and I found that my response to altitude
> and my horse's response to altitude were quite different (for one example).
>
> When trying any new technique, make your changes one at a time and closely
> monitor your results -- be prepared to back off and go another direction if a
> new method isn't working as expected.
>
>  
Another difference is horses can't lift weights. This is a significant 
advantage humans have over horses when pursuing athletic activities. 
Even runners can (and do benefit) from a well defined weight training 
program. Even if you can get the same effect on horses with appropriate 
cross training - it would take a lot of time.

Altitude acclamation in humans has a lot to do with lung capacity. It 
takes two sheets of film for me to get a chest Xray - one for the top of 
the lungs and one for the bottom. The sheets are designed for one sheet 
per Xray. Probably why I was a good runner in college. However, since 
I've got to have a chest Xray every four years for my Australian visa - 
there can be some negatives. However, I never had much of a problem 
acclimating to altitude. I could drive (and have) out from Annapolis Md 
at sea level, arrive in Denver two days later (two very long days) and 
go climb a 14'er the next day without any trouble.

Horse's in general have a large lung capacity and extra red blood cells 
stored in the spleen so they should not have much trouble with altitude 
acclimation.

Truman



--

"The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement. The opposite 
of a profound truth may well be another profound truth."    Niels Bohr 
-- Nobel Laureate, Physics




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