Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Title: Message

Regarding the horse not being ready for the work, of course it's a possibility, however, that is what I was told repeatedly by the ride vets, but I KNEW I was conditioning properly. The vets discouraged me from checking selenium level, but when I finally did it and then started supplementing, the muscles quit getting sore. It was not a conditioning issue, just selenium shortage and no amount of conditioning was going to fix it.

 

So, Donna, yes get a blood test, and ask for specific numbers when you get the results, not just a generic answer that your horse is low or normal. My own vet told me my horse was on the low end of normal, but I asked for details...kwhat's the range of normal, what is my horse' at. Ridecamp vets (thank you much) told me I still needed to supplement 3 times the recommended doseage for at least a month to get the level up to where an endurance horse needs to be.

 

Skip the Omalene, instead use just a cup of oats, shredded beet pulp (I use about the same amount of water as beet pulp), the fat (what are you using?) to give his supplements and added calories. If you have the time and inclination, buy a 50lb bag of whole flax seed, grind it in a little cofffee grinder (I usually do a 1/2 gallon or so a sitting, but I don't use much) freeze it and take a cup out to your horse daily (keep it cold on the way out though or it loses nutritional value, but is still a good fat source). It's a great sorce of omega 3 fats.

 

Personally, I've not had a problem feeding about 25-30% alfalfa, as long as there is no selenium issue.

 

Kathy