recovery/conditioning

[terre <tobytrot@bigfoot.com>]

I offer, for what it's worth, two rather "off-the-wall" observations/ideas
for your consideration:
	With regards to ti's recent post about recovery pulse after work: at one
time, in the area I ride in criteria was set pretty much automatically at
64 bpm.  Then, a few years ago, the vets started experimenting with using
lower pulses in more challenging conditions.  Some of us noticed that the
older, more experienced horses, had a tendency to plummet to a pulse of 64
and then hang there.  It was as if, by aggressively crewing the horse to
this pulse and then ceasing this work and taking it to the vet we had
accidentally "trained" in the ability to recover quickly to 64.  It appears
to have nothing to do with "the magic number 64", because we didn't see
this in newer, less experienced horses.  This is purely
'round-the-campfire', anecdotal evidence--anybody else see (or think they
see) this?
	With regards to Dubai: a bunch of us were sitting around talking about the
results when somebody pointed out that the horses that did unexpectedly
well--NZ and Aus--were from a continent heading into its summer, while
those that did less well than expected--Eur and Canada--were from a
continent heading into its fall.  Considering the recent talk of SADDR, and
the perfectly real phenomenon of SAD (seasonal affected disorder, due to
hormonal changes with decreased sunlight), does anyone think it is possible
that mammals (horses and humans) have evolved a "gearing down" mechanism in
the fall, for conserving energy over the winter, and a "gearing up"
mechanism in the spring? (Told you it was off the wall!)  Note that many of
us gain weight in the winter--put it down to decreased exercise and Xmas,
but I have heard it seriously postulated that people in colder climes
"need" an extra layer of fat for warmth, and the body obliges by providing it.
	Of no scientific validity, and probably no practical use, but food for
thought!
	Terre (who is hauling a lot of water by hand since only one barn tap is
unfrozen, and therefore thinks she should not be gaining weight, shortbread
not withstanding!)