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[RC] Keeping a big mustang cool - Ridecamp GuestPlease Reply to: Char Antuzzi char.antuzzi@xxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ========================================== Philip, Gali's owner is forever pounding it into my little brain about "CORE TEMP's" and how they are different from surface heat. A hot horse, one with a inner core temp rising is a horse who's head is down, one whos not eating and one who will scare you to death. I had a hot horse at Robinsons Flat on Tevis last year. It was work for my crew to get that under control. There isn't a lot you can do about it on Tevis but slow down and try and ride smart. There isn't a lot of water and last year at Tevis is was HOT. My horse went on to finish Tevis at 3am. The trick is to keep that core temp under control and its a heck of a lot easier to say how to do it, then to really do it. I carry water, lots of water. I put it on Gali all the time but I scrape it off. Water left standing on the horse creates a insulation type of effect and the horse gets hotter not colder. So yes put water on, but make darn sure you scrape it off while going down the trail. Last year on Tevis I got down the first canyon and I put Gali in that river for about 5 min. Everything was soaked, my saddle, the pads everything. That 5 min I took to get Gali cool more then made up that time in coming back out of the caynon. So one thing, take the time to keep that inner core DOWN! Learn to recognize signs of a hot horse. I know sounds like a no brainer but you'd be surprised. I'm not very knowledgable on how the body breaks down glycogen, fats, etc, but I do know that I use the BC2A product... (I get no support from them, its just a good product and I see results). I walk the hills, however I think this is more my horses idea then mine. I've tried to speed him up the hills, but he's just a lot smarter then I and he knows what he can and can't do. So I listen to Gali, if he wants to walk the hills, okay he knows best. If there is shade on the other side of the road, I get in it. I trot very slow and steady and this strategy has gotten me through many rides on a wonderful horse whom I love with all my heart. Just ride smart and know again that you're probably not going to win any rides riding this way, but you will most likely finish and to me.. To Finish Is To Win, even coming in last. Char =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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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