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Working hard for years fixing problems (with behaviour, indifferent
lameness and other stuff) with Ligeira, my 12 yr. partbred-arab mare,
now I fear I've got a new one and would like to get some ideas what it
could be.
NEVER had any problems with regeneration. Sorted it out as a typical
"beginner's failure"- untill it happened to myself !
The first two rides of the season, she was brilliant. Running well, no
lameness, recovery superb despite of high speed. Then, 5 weeks ago, the
last vetcheck of a 40-mile ride. second lap, speed was medium (~ 6-7
mph). riding pulse (trotting, cantering) was 130-140, quite OK for her.
No signs of fatigue. Get into the check, pulse 80. after 20 minutes:
72-76, out ! (criteria here is 64 after 20 min). Let her eat, standing
in the shadow, wash her, walking around - nothing worked. It wasn't too
hot really (aside she had never any problems competing on hot days!).
So I monitored her several hours. pulse stayed elevated (64-80),
wandering, for about 6 hours. Apart from this, she behaved absolutely
normal, grasing, looking fine, not depressed. amazing...
I let my vet perform a general examination, doppings analysis and blood
test. Result was: some higher muscle enzyms (but no too high), Selenium
and Zinc a bit low, liver values something poor. No real result.
stethoscoped the heart, said it's fine.
Let her in the pasture some days, feed some supplements (not convinced
having found the reason). Lowered the ridden miles.
Next competition, a difficult mountainious 50-miler, 3 weeks ago. coming
into finish 4th (overall speed 8 mph, but going really slowly the last
km's) the same story happened again ! pulse in 80, after 20 min: 76,
out. There was no previous warning, she performed absolutely fine. pulse
stood elevated and wandering, for some hours, again.
I concluded she must be overtrained. Put her on the pasture, ponied her
along with my other horses for 1-2 rides. Noticed that it does no good
for her staying on the pasture. Got off feed (eating well when ridden),
looking miserable. As I forced her to eat her feed, she put on weight
slowly and looked better.
I decide to let a friend ride her on my own ride, last week. 60 mls,
difficult terrain. She was really slow, took more than 12 hours.
Nevertheless, Ligeira looked stressed. In the finish, she was vetted
with 56, but it was luck. I monitored her with 60-80, even 4 hours after
completing. I slowly got the impression that the problem is independant
form the speed and let the ride's vet perform another blood test. He
found some slightly increased muscle enzym values, but nothing special.
Within 2-3 days she recovered from the ride completely. YESTERDAY, I
accompagnied a friend the fist leg of a 4-day horse hike. We covered 43
miles, within 9 hours. Even she was not even moist when we arrived at
home, the pulse was even high now! Everything else was normal, and she
eats her dinner.
This morning she looked well recovered and eats her breakfast, resting
pulse was 45 (slightly increased, 32-40 normal).
I would conclude that she's overtrained, but she LOVES the work. She is
very ambitious, I have to hold back her every time. When working hard,
she is calm, relaxed, friendly, happy and eats well afterwards. I
suppose there is a hidden lack, or defect. I don't believe it's the
heart ifself. She has everyting usually called "heart", is extreme
courageous, sprints so fast I never dare to test it, has a max.
heartrate of >235, can gallop ~15 mph with a 135 pulse.
I have to add, she is no easy keeper. I have to watch her weight
carefully, even in the pasture season. On the "body score scale", I
would give her a 4 - 4,5 most of the time. She never was "fat". In the
ride season we are riding 60 miles weekly avarage, mostly slow (total
speed avg. may be 5 mph), no really hard training. At a ride, she
doesn't drink for the first 25 mls. and tends to be slightly dehydrated.
Also on the pasture she is the last horse going to the water, or the
salt-stone or mineral-supplement as well. Seems to be a "desert type".
Any idea what this could be ??? I'm still tapping in the dark...
regards
FRANK
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