Re: Carbs - only part of the picture

["Joe Long" <jlong@mti.net>]

On Wed, 24 Jun 1998 11:26:58 EDT, Tivers@aol.com wrote:

>In a message dated 98-06-24 03:26:07 EDT, jlong@mti.net writes:

><< Endurance horses underfed?  I'm sure you could find an isolated
> example (and such an example would not be a *successful* endurance
> horse), but endurance horses as a group are well fed, and those
> competing at the top are very well fed, trained and cared for.
 
> You really ought to learn more about this sport to which you are
> giving advice. >>

>Any horse that exercises 20 to 100 miles on a few pounds of grain and forage
>is underfed as far as optimum performance is concerned. When you participate
>in a sport where an animal is asked to carry you around, you should have a
>basic appreciation of the energy demands. 

Both human and equine athletes store energy reserves in their body,
neither is dependent on energy taken in during a long-distance event.
Supplementation during the event can be beneficial, but that must be
tailored to the needs of *that* athlete doing *that* type of exercise.

For myself, for example, I eat very little during a 100 mile ride.
Much less, in fact, than I eat on a non-ride day.  I do not feel
hungry during the ride, and if I try to force myself to eat, I get
sick.  The next day, of course, I eat a great deal!

Most successful endurance riders are quite aware of the energy demands
of their horses, and have learned a great deal over the last few
decades about how to best meet those demands.  New research is always
continuing and welcome, but neither research nor experience from
short-distance anearobic events necessarily translates to the
endurance horse.

-- 

Joe Long
jlong@mti.net
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