Re: body fat and performance

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

In a message dated 12/17/99 11:51:19 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
dfletche@gte.net writes:

<< Another thought comes to mind. Perhaps those horses with high body scores
 also have as a byproduct higher glycogen stores. >>

I'm sure there is at least some truth to this, along with your comment about 
genetic predisposition to store one vs. the other.  The work level during 
conditioning is also going to influence how much one stores fat vs. glycogen. 
 But it IS clear from research that these higher body score horses DO have 
more fat--not just more glycogen.
 
 <<The hydration thing also crossed my mind. Doesn't adipoise tissue stores a
 fair amount of water? Any idea how much? >>

I don't have a handle on specific numbers, but yes, adipose tissue DOES store 
water.  Which is likely partly why we see hydration problems in so many 
skinny horses.  And a gut full of roughage also serves as a sponge full of 
water, as well as a reservoir of electrolytes--one thing that has always 
interested me is how the good hay eaters tend to require far less lyte 
supplementation, too.  (Not to mention their tendency to have better scores 
in virtually every hydration factor.)  There are a lot of metabolic pitfalls 
for the skinny horse--and of course, Susan's study didn't separate those 
out--merely underscored the fact that the skinnies are more apt to fail 
metabolically, while the fatties are more apt to go lame.  And that's 
something that many of us who've vetted rides for years had observed, too...

Heidi


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