Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

 Thank you for responding, Kat. There is much to be learned in 
discussions like these, and I am constantly reminded how difficult it is 
to include enough info to give the broader picture, rather than leave a 
narrow message that can be taken out of context and misunderstood or 
discarded. Where to start? It looks like we agree that beet pulp 
generally has (or is intended to have) low sugar content, despite a rare 
batch that didn't. Since that's the case, and since I've been discussing 
the importance of keeping glucose levels up specifically, and beep pulp 
has almost no glycemic effect, we can probably agree that there are 
better feeds for elevating glucose. We also agree that sugars are indeed 
broken down in the foregut. We agree, I think, that all sugars and 
starches are carbohydrates, but not all carbohydrates are sugars or 
starches. We agree that structural carbohydrates are fermented in the 
hind gut to produce volatile fatty acids (an energy source for aerobic 
work), and that about 150-200 pounds of hay is on board at any given 
time, much of which is made of structural carbohydrates. How'm I doin' 
so far?
 Let me make a few points clear. I'm not against using beet pulp per 
se. I often feed Complete Advantage at a ride, among other things, but 
it also has some grain and molasses in it (sugar and starch). I think 
that phrase "among other things" is useful here. Hay or fiber is useful 
in keeping the horse hydrated, his gut moving, as an electrolyte 
reservoir, and as a source of VFA's. It even has some non-structural 
carbs in it. But for the ongoing energy needs of the exercising 
endurance horse, a constant supply of glucose (coming either from the 
horse's reserves or his feed) is necessary to A) Keep him moving down 
the trail, and B) Tell the nervous system that it's okay to keep all 
body systems running (gut movement, sweating, brisk muscle contraction, 
heart rate and strength of contraction, depth of respiration, saliva 
production, water retention/clearance, hunger and thirst mechanisms). 
The shutting down of one or more of these mechanisms are, by definition, 
signs of a horse that is increasingly fatigued. We have all seen them in 
our horses or other horses at a ride. In fact, a distressed horse is 
often given fluids that contain glucose to revive him, because of it's 
ability to turn those systems back on.
  I like the analogy of an office building with all the lights turned 
on. If there is a sudden power shortage, only crucial hallway lights and 
the lights in the CEO's office might be left on. The same can be true in 
the tired, glycogen depleted horse. He begins to shut down less vital 
systems to preserve enough glucose to at least keep the nervous system 
running. You're right that he can't eat enough non-structural carbs 
during a ride to entirely run on the mere calories that they provide, 
but if he eats carbs, he will elevate his blood glucose levels, and his 
system will know that it's okay to keep all the lights on in the 
building, rather than sense a shortage and begin economizing on systems 
functioning. Arguably, and I'd be interested in your perspective here, 
when the horse is becoming exhausted, he still has ample reserves of 
structural carbs, VFA's, and fiber on board, as well as his tissue fat 
reserves. Yet he is spiraling down.
  So, "among other things" it may help the horse to eat some beet pulp, 
but he can get the same basic ingredients from hay, and he will do even 
better if he gets some sugar/starch throughout the ride, because it's 
more effective at keeping the "systems turned on" and at keeping glucose 
levels up. For some reason, some people seem to think that elevating 
blood glucose is bad. It's not. In the exercising horse it's a very good 
thing. It shouldn't be confused with high glucose levels in a diabetic 
person. Completely different scenario. And that's part of what makes 
this confusing to people as they try to understand all this, all the 
while wanting to protect the horses they love, as well as do the things 
(and feed the feeds) that will help that horse do his best without 
risking him.
 And that's why I type.     Dr Q
  


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