In a message dated 96-12-14 22:12:05 EST, you write:
>> Teddy, You state you started your loading 4 days before ride. Specifically
what did you load with and how. Zorro gets a little stiff in the rear
shortly after rides. I have been supplementing with E and selenium through
feed additives. Does B12 help. At Carolina ride Jeanne Waldren said that
there were new studies coming that suggest that you take your horse off of
grain for a couple of days before a ride and to not feed it during the ride.
Does anyone know anything else about this. Ride....Really Ride!!! Mike<<
At that time I was feeding grain of my own mix...a good deal corn, no oats.
just corn with additives.di-cal, sodium selenate, soybean, dry molasses. I
have fed corn for 20 years with no problems..except this horse..gets really
"high". I switched this year to a complete feed ((pellets) since good hay
was almost impossible to find (I usually feed 80% alfalfa year 'round). This
same horse gets high on even the pelleted feed. Just played rodeo bronc a
month ago and landed me on the ground after15-20 of his 30-49 bucks (REAL
bucks..head between the legs..I was amazed and proud I stayed on that long!!!
- I was MAD..I guess that helped).
Anyway, I have stopped feeding grain AT LEAST the night before and the
morning of a ride. I DO feed it during the ride..wet, with carrots,
electrolytes, etc. (pellets are great for this and they LOVE it). I think
Jeannie Waldron is right and many of us have been lucky. It makes sense
purely from a logistic viewpoint...slow down on grain when you slow down on
exercise which is the tapering down week before a big ride. I don't know
about the B12. I have NEVER been one to do any experimentation on
suppliments...either it's in their feed every day or I don't do it (except
for electrolytes)
Teddy