Re: RC: Re: RE: When a horse "quits"

[DVeritas@aol.com]

In a message dated 12/9/99 11:51:20 AM Mountain Standard Time, 
mmieske@netonecom.net writes:

> I can attest to the fact
>  that it is carbs that cause me the big trouble....
Gee,
    Seems to me that "carbs" are what endurance horses THRIVE on.   I know 
when I was doing ultra-triathlons, I subsisted on a diet of almost 100% 
COMPLEX carbohydrates.
    Trying to stay in aerobic range, burning whatever "fat" was in my system 
and THEN burning carbs I was able to bike two hundred miles in a day, run 
fifty miles in a day and so on.  
    Being careful that while I burned glycogen, that I systemically flushed 
any accumulated lactic acids from my muscles and it seemed as I could 
"obsess" at will.  I DID "bonk", "hit the wall" ONE time...but that was a 
criterium one week after a 525 mile ultra-triathlon.
    Done on a steady diet of almost complete complex carbohydrate...for years.
    Fueling organic athletic systems is not complicated.
    Non-stop roughage before "difficult" endurance tests IS the key, even 
preferable to high protein levels found in way too complicated grains 
w/supplementation.
    As others have pointed out, plenty of fresh water, good quality grass hay 
and steamed, crimped or rolled oats will allow a horse to go along way 
COUPLED with proper conditioning (physical and mental), proper ride 
management (riding to the level of conditioning for rider and horse) and a 
proper ride strategy.
    As far as horses "quitting", it happens and the reasons are 
several...usually related to feed, conditioning, frequency of tasking and 
RECUPERATION periods allowed and all the blood tests in the world won't make 
up for deficiencies in any of THAT stuff.
    (Sometimes just cause a horse WILL, doesn't mean  he SHOULD...let'em rest 
a little and not just from the actual rides but from the trailering and all 
the related hoopla of traveling 'round enjoying our sport).
    Thank you,
           Frank S.
PS:  A horse "quitting" is his LAST DITCH EFFORT TO GET YOUR ATTENTION.


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