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[RC] Electrolytes - Bruce Weary DC

Dr G is right--anything can be a toxin--salt, water, feed, even oxygen, if taken in too great amounts or improperly. In all the discussion about elytes, I think it is important to mention the necessity of pre-electrolyting. I have come full circle in electrolyting, from pre-dosing and dosing throughout a ride, to not giving any, and back again. I ride a foxtrotter, who has less margin of error in how she manages her body fluids and electrolytes as compared to the average Arab. I have found that it is quite safe to give elytes the night before, as the horse is not dehydrated at that point, and it may encourage her to drink more that night, thus sending her out on the trail better hydrated than had she not been dosed. Then, I give another dose before the ride starts to hopefully stimulate thirst and drinking in the early part of the ride. Again, I am not salting a dehydrated horse at this point. She does drink in the first 6-10 miles this way, and then I dose her after each "heavy" drinking episode throughout the day. I don't dose if she just played in the water or only took a swallow or two. When I do it this way, she drinks TONS more water than any other method I have tried in 25 years. She is also a bigger horse, and being less efficient than Arabs, probably actually *needs* more elyte replenishment, and thus her body craves, needs and accepts it safely without much risk of overdose if given as described as above. My point is that the horse's individual rate of consumption of elytes and the proper timing of dosing I think have a critical effect on whether the horse is helped or hindered by the administration of electrolytes. Of course, stomach tolerance (ulcers, etc.,.) must be considered. I predict that when the results are in from future studies, we are going to find neither of the extremes of "no elytes" or "lots of elytes" are the answer. It will be moderate elytes, tailored to each horses needs, timed properly, and coordinated with drinking.
I would rather elyte my horse, and have her benefit from the markedly increased water she brings on board by drinking, than have her refuse water until 20 miles or more, and worry if I will have enough horse to safely make it to the finish line. Dr Q



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