HELP or opinions wanted please

[Leonard.LIESENS@DG10.cec.be]

Hi friends,

I was yesterday on a 50 miles that I was considering as a good training ride for preparing Orfeo for a 100 in 3 weeks.

Here is what happens :

- i arrived the night before the 50 miles; let him in a stall with hay (humid) and water; he received his grain in the morning with one dose of P&Win; didn't drink any water (maybe the odor quite chlor!); I didn't pay very much attention (stupid me!); first loop : great with pulse ranging from 100...150 on a hilly ride always covered at the canter; recovering at the vetgate after 25 miles in 5 minutes back to 55 BPM; no problem except that the vet noticed some dehydration... he drank a little bit on the trail but by excitment (we where 8 riders at the front and you know how it goes), it was difficult to give him the opportunity of relax and have a good drink; we covered the 25 miles in 2 1/2 hour;

at he one hour stop, he drank but again not very much; I gave (this was certainly my mistake) 1 1/2 dose of P&Win and 2 ounces of carbonhydrates.

at the second loop, his pulse was anormally high : 130 where he should be 100 at a relaxed trot or little canter, 160/170 where he should be 130 in the hills.... compared to the first loop (and furthermore he was very excited at the first loop). I decided to stop after 10 kms and went back to the vets : we took temperature (normal), did a ridgeway (55/50 - normal); good gut sounds; straith in the gaits; but quite dehydrated

So what happened : do you think that dehydratation increases the heartrate ? I have been told that blood becomes less fluid with dehydratation and that this is increasing heart effort 

What do you think ?

Thanks for help

Leonard and Orfeo, in Belgium (where we enjoy a very nice spring)


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