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Re: [RC] re: advice against swimming horses on "aquasizer" - Mary KraussOn Monday, October 31, 2005, at 03:34 PM, Alisanne R. Steele wrote: However, working on a treadmill in the water is an artificial movement (one would normally run or swim) the change (Increase)? in the resistance to normal forward movement also changes the affect on the muscles and the strengthening response that results. Any more artificial than running uphill against a strong wind? Any more artificial than jogging in deep sand along a beach (something I had my cross-country runners do routinely)? Any more artificial than doing assisted pull-ups or dips? Isn't most training highly "artificial" in the good sense of that word? I'm trying to figure out why water would create a hostile environment. I thought the point was to build a good strong aerobic base without breaking down joints, stressing ligaments and so on? Once one reaches excellence aerobically -- a pretty ambitious goal in itself -- then one can target the specific muscles used for one's competitive endeavor. My sense is that it's difficult to reach aerobic excellence in a horse without hurting 'em so anything that varies the routine pounding is good. One can always let the muscles that don't matter to actual racing atrophy once aerobic efficiency goals are achieved through cross-training. Please know that I'm coming at this discussion from WAYYYYY down the ladder -- I'm trying to bring an extremely unfit, obese horse into condition without hurting him along the way. I am not at all talking about what one does once a horse is fit for a hundred-miler and now needs to be fine-tuned (something I will not be dealing with for a long time). On a side note: turns out that x-country is the number one injury-causing sport in high school. Many coaches now have their kids running only two times/week; the other days are spent on bikes, weights, or in swimming pools where they run with resistance (provided by teammates dragging back with jump ropes). Once a runner has achieved a pretty high level of fitness -- say top 20 at the State Meet in California -- they continue this sort of training, but, in a nod to what you all are saying, they certainly do start pouring on the miles at that point. Mary K. 'n' Bruiser who loves swim
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