ridecamp@endurance.net: Re: [endurance] Feed and Bit placement

Re: [endurance] Feed and Bit placement

Wendy Milner (wendy@nsmdserv.cnd.hp.com)
Tue, 16 Apr 96 14:45:25 MDT

> Bob; thank you for you $1,000 worth. I could not have expressed this
> better!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been getting a "kick" out of all the "voodoo
> nutrition" that I have seen here since last June.

Then perhaps you don't know as much as you think you do.

Let's start with what we are doing with our horses. First,
we are pushing them to the limits of their capabilities. We
are asking more of our endurance horses than just about any
other group of riders. Jumpers are asked to jump higher and
faster. Race horses are asked to run faster. Dressage horses
are asked to perform with precision. But endurance horses are
asked to go farther, faster and with more precision than any
other horse.

Most of the nutrition discussions on this board are concerned with
that last little bit of effort. We start with the basics in good
nutrition. But we are asking more of our horses. Some horses
perform perfectly well on the basics. Most of the endurance horses
need more than hay. Adding in grain is fine for most of them.
But there are still those who are competing at the top level who
need something else.

Endurance riding in general has pushed the science of equine
research much farther than any other sport. We are still discussing
saddles. Before endurance riding, most people didn't think about
the saddles too much. We are forcing a change. And the same is
true of nutrition. Some horses are asked to grow up faster so they
can show or race for a short time. But endurance horses need long
term solutions. And we are asking what is best in nutrition.

Here is where the suppliments come in. There are many different
suppliments. Starting with good nutrition, we are asking how to
get the most from our feeding program. This is not "voodoo nutrition".
If you ask an athlete about nutrition, they'll tell you that the
basics just don't cut it when you are pushing yourself to the max.
You need to design your program for the sport in which you are competing.
Weight lifters have a completly different program than a marathon
runner.

With horses we have a problem in that everything we feed is not
digestable. If you feed hay, you know how much manure you end up
with. Feed grain and you'll see undigested grain in the manure.
This is normal for horses. But our horses need to digest more, and
get more out of their feed because we are asking more of them. So we
turn to suppliments. Some of the suppliments aid digestion. Some of
them add vitamines and minerals. Some of them are worthless. But
only by asking others what their experience has been will we find out.

I have seen no "voodoo" in this forum. I may not agree with everything.
And I may think that some folks are being more complicated than
necessary. But most of the folks are using a good deal of "common"
sense along with a good deal of research behind them.

If you don't need the extras, then I'll bet you are not competing
on a regular basis, trying to win or top ten, and keeping up a
vigorous training schedule. Even my easy keepers need extra
and I'm not trying to win, only finish. So, I look at the package
labels, I listen to what is said here, and I ask my friend you
specializes in equine nutrition what she thinks.

By the way, even voodoo has a basis in fact. If you believe, it
works.

--
Wendy

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Wendy Milner HPDesk: wendy_milner@hp4000 Training Development Engineer HP-UX: wendy@fc.hp.com Mail Stop 46 Telnet: 229-2182 3404 E. Harmony Rd. AT&T: (970) 229-2182 Fort Collins, CO, 80525 FAX: (970) 229-4292