RE: Pain Releif in Hard Rides

["A. Felker" <santafe@eudoramail.com>]

I do not know if this applies to the use of pain killers in horses but I just want to mention something dealing with there use in people(from someone who hurts themself often).  You are correct in saying that imediate use can mask a problem you are yet aware of, but the one thing that I see that is good(in people anyway) is that you can work out some soreness, knots, and tightness, by being able to move and do your normal activities without the pain.  If your arm hurts like mad to lift it what do you do?  You do not lift it.  This usually causes more stiffness and sometimes more soreness.  With pain killers you can use the arm, stretch out the muscle, and get back into shape.  

Please tell me your opinion on this towards the horses. 

One other note, personally I do not think it is a bad idea for the pain killers if the horse is going back home to frolic in its normal pasture and such, but if the horse is supposed to be on another ride that is a different story.  I would want to wait until there is no sign of problems well off the pain killers before another ride would be atempted.
--

On Sun, 3 Jan 1999 17:04:55    Cheryl Newbanks wrote:
>On Sunday, January 03, 1999 4:17 PM, CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com 
>[SMTP:CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com] wrote:
>> In a message dated 1/3/99 3:05:44 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
>4horn@home.com
>> writes:
>>
>> << How common is it for people to give their horses bute after a long, 
>hard
>>  ride just to make the horse more comfortable and less stiff; NOT to
>>  mask  injuries? I know I take Motrin after a long, hard ride, so I am
>>  more comfortable (I sleep better when my lower back is not tight). I
>>  have only seen one person doing this and he said he did it for the above
>>  reason. Is there a better medicine then bute to use for general muscle
>>  releif? >>
>>
>>
>
>I personally would not give bute after a ride.  It may mask something that 
>needs your attention right away.  Plus I want to see how he is the next day 
>without any pain killers, so that I can determine if I road that ride too 
>hard, could of gone faster, if he recovered great, etc... If you are 
>worried about stiffness walk him a few times that evening and the next 
>morning before you go home.
>
>
>                                  Cheryl Newbanks
>~~~           ~~ ^ ^        SW Region
>~~~\      _ ~~/ /\ /        Buckeye, AZ
>       (   ) __    ) ' '        horsetrails@inficad.com
>       //          \\
>      //            \\
>    **              **
>
>
>
>


Join 18 million Eudora users by signing up for a free Eudora Web-Mail account at http://www.eudoramail.com