Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Well said as usual Frank,

There are numerous formulations of electrolytes on the market. Some I 
won't use because of reasons ranging to they will develop mold in the 
tubes if not handled properly (keeping below 86 degrees in the hot 
stickly SE)  to my horse really doesn't like them.  My experience has 
been some formulations don't impact the horse eating when put in the 
feed and some do. I suspect there is one to several formulations suited 
for every horse and rider out there. I actually use two different one's 
and vary the amount of each based on the conditions.

There is no magic formula and there is no magic protocol. It has to be 
tailored to horse, rider and where and when you are riding. This is 
where horsemanship enters into the equation.

The water afterwards is a very good point for people to remember.  I 
prefer to cut the electrolytes quite a bit by the carrier, apple sauce, 
etc., so there is less concentration of salts per dose - even if it 
means carrying two syringes on the trail instead of one. There is less 
salt hitting the mouth, throat, stomach at one shot and the taste is 
covered better so more go in the horse and less on me.

I use a livestock doser at the checks and my mix is cut quite a bit 
because this sucker holds a large amount to liquid. That way I can 
eaisly get sufficient salts into the vermin in a fairly dilute 
suspension. They also have been getting some during the whole check in 
their feed as they eat.

Electrolyte replacement is one of those areas to quote, Dane Frazier, 
"understand the principles so you can devise your own methods."

Truman

DVeritas@xxxxxxx wrote:

> In a message dated 3/27/2006 5:43:32 A.M. Mountain Standard Time, 
> rides2far@xxxxxxxx writes:
>
>     have considered taking the advice to put some electrolytes in the
>     feed...but then I remember why I quit that...it cut down on the
>     amount my horse ate. He ate much better with no additives in it,
>     then I could dose afterwards, and the dosing didn't seem to bother
>     him at all. I really do not like putting a lot of junk in the feed.
>
> You know, it's quite obvious that what happens with e-lyting endurance 
> horses is that the rider comes to understand what works better for 
> their horse.
>  
> So, once the electrolyte brand is found, the delivery system is 
> determined and the frequency of dosing (which can vary dependent on 
> ambient weather/trail conditions), what has been repeated over and 
> over and over ("know what works best for YOUR horse"), what else needs 
> saying.
>  
> I'd like to emphasize that after delivering the electrolyte mixture to 
> your horse, BE SURE TO DELIVER WATER  to them to rinse their mouths 
> and chase the mixture down their throats (I use a 60cc syringe and put 
> in at least two syringe-fulls of water (usually three) to rinse their 
> mouths and "get it going".
>  
> Frank



--

"Mathematics may be defined as the subject in which we never know what 
we are talking about, nor whether what we are saying is true."  - 
Bertrand Russell




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