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Re: [RC] Ol' Time E'olytes - Joe LongOn Mon, 27 Mar 2006 07:39:31 -0700, heidi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote: Just curious, Joe, as to why you don't consider not using them in a new horse at all initially, since you won't yet be taking him at race speeds anyway. The same rationale applies--instead of upping them "if he needs more" you can add them at future rides "if he needs them." The majority of horses do not need them at completion speeds. Some do indeed need them as you speed up. But the "conditioning" aspect still applies to his first rides, too--and if he sets up a mild deficit, he is more apt to take better care of himself at future rides, just as he becomes increasingly efficient on training rides. This is the very sort of "automatic" giving of e-lytes that I've been talking about, and that I do find alarming--certainly give them to horses that demonstrate a need, but first determine if the horse HAS the need... And you can't do that if you just automatically start using them on his very first ride. What you are saying, Joe, is contrary to the concept of "listen to your horse." Heidi This was a reply to a specific question about a typically hot and humid early-season ride in Georgia, a ride which has a history of a high metabolic pull rate. Under those conditions I would use them even for a horse's first, slow ride (but in moderation, not a full "Ridgeway" dose at a time). -- Joe Long jlong@xxxxxxxx http://www.rnbw.com =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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