Re: Carbo loading products

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

In a message dated 1/3/99 12:18:55 PM Pacific Standard Time,
karen@chaton.gardnerville.nv.us writes:

<< The main benefits I have noticed are that the horses seem to hold and
 maintain their weight quite well.  They have a steady energy supply.
 Neither of my horses like to eat a lot of grain - they mostly go for lots
 of hay, with a little nibbling on LMF, Purina Complete Advantage, or a
 mash. >>

Just to be the devil's advocate to Karen (sorry, Karen) in my experience the
horses who constantly nibble hay and prefer it to grain WILL maintain weight
just fine, and WILL keep good energy levels, without the carbo loading.  My
experience with carbs in spurts has been far from positive--would prefer that
they eat and eat and eat that hay, maintaining the roughage fill in the large
colon and cecum where all those good volatile fatty acids are being produced
and absorbed.  Sorry, Cindy, I wouldn't spend the money for carbo products,
and actually, would advise against them...  My own horses almost look pregnant
when they are campaigning--our stallion Aur Bold Tribute really gained weight
and body mass this past year (his first "real" season) and looks MUCH better
than he did when we bought him out of a box stall at age 15...  He has oodles
of energy, ran some Top Tens, and earned two BC awards--and was especially
pleased at the last ride of the year, Oregon Dunes in the deep, wet sand, when
I saw him trot out post-ride looking like a horse about to go in the dressage
ring, where everyone else was hitching along tired and with sore rear ends.
He gets all the hay he wants, and less than two pounds a day of
concentrates--mostly dry COB.  He gets a bit more on ride day with a warm bran
mash, but not anywhere near the amounts that I see so many people feeding!

Heidi Smith, DVM