ridecamp@endurance.net: Re: Feeding fat

Re: Feeding fat

Susan Evans Garlinghouse (suendavid@worldnet.att.net)
Fri, 15 Aug 1997 14:04:33 -0700

Kristen L Olko wrote:
>
> I remember a while back the controversy about feeding fat during
> a race. It was stated that since fat took longer to be metabolized by
> the horse's body, it was of little use. If your horse is doing a 100,
> even
> a winning horse is out there for about 13 hours total, right? The rest
> are out there a lot longer. Wouldn't fat have had time to be metabolized
> by then? Wouldn't it be able to provide a much needed mid ride,
> sustained booster? Or am I way off?
>
> Kris

Hey Kris,

No one else is jumping in on this one, so I guess I will. The body
doesn't utilize fats directly for energy production, they have to be
converted to fatty acids first. Regardless of how long it takes or
doesn't take for fed fat to be absorbed and converted to fatty acids,
you're alot better off making sure you're horse is primed to utilize the
fatty acid (triglyceride) stores he already has by feeding him a
high-fat diet in between rides, and conditioning/riding at aerobic
levels to get the body used to using fats as a fuel source.

That having been said, there are two ways you can look it. Feeding fat
during the ride itself is probably not going to make much, if any,
difference in the amount of energy available during that ride---he's
going to be relying on fat stores which have already been mobilized, not
on fat that you just fed. Also, fat takes more oxygen on a
gram-by-gram basis to oxidize to carbon dioxide and water than do
carbohydrates. This may be splitting hairs, but possibly pouring a big
glut of fat into your horse mid-ride could slow down his recoveries
because more oxygen is being used to burn fat than would be used to burn
carbohydrates.

On the other hand, if your horse will readily eat a mash with a little
oil added (some horses like the taste of oil, some don't), it's probably
not going to make much difference one way or the other on his
performance that day, but it will give him a little head start in
replenishing the energy he's expended in preparation for the NEXT ride,
and THAT'S a good thing.

Anyway, your best bet is still to not feed a large meal of grain just
before the start, to have him already on a high-fat diet beforehand and
in good body condition (no glaring ribs), and to provide some roughage
and frequent, small amounts of carbohydrate (I still prefer the moderate
glycemic feeds like beet pulp and whole oats) throughout the day, and
waterwaterwater. If you can do all that, then you're probably in great
shape, then any advantages you get from a bit of added fat is just icing
on the cake.

Good luck,

Susan Evans Garlinghouse

Home Events Groups Rider Directory Market RideCamp Stuff