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Re: RC: adjusting to altitude



Hi, Kirsten--

Horses acclimate to altitude far better than people do, but you are right
about the problem of incomplete acclimatization causing additional fatigue.
For the horse, you are better off to either go to the higher altitude
immediately before the competition (the horse does better at this than you do,
because of his extra red blood cells in his spleen that he can kick into
circulation if he needs them) or three or more weeks in advance, as the horse
seems to acclimatize pretty well in just three weeks.  (Again, he has a better
potential for this than you do.)

Part of the problem here, though, is that the horse is also ridden by a rider,
and if the rider is having altitude problems, then he becomes a hindrance to
the horse.  So that has to be factored in, too...

Heidi Smith, DVM


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