feeding during a ride

["Jeff and Anita Carlson" <ranger2@gate.net>]

I agree with Teddy- her reply to those who said their horses would rather
run on the trail than stop and eat- see what they do at 80 miles...
Sure, most horses can get thru 25 miles w/out eating- they are running on
adrenaline.  not ideal but they can do it.  but if you take the same horse
and start doing longer rides they NEED to eat or there is no way they will
finish the ride.

I havn't tried CC yet.  sounds like a good idea as long as the horse is fit
and willing to eat/drink at the checks and you know when to give it and
don't over ride your horse.  seems like w/ some horses you'd have to be
careful it dosnt  "mask" the fatigue.  but I may be all wrong having never
tried it yet.

Wanted to tell you what I did at a ride about 7 years ago.  I have a tough
little Rushcreek mare w/ lots of CTR miles.
Decided to do the Far Out Forest 100 in FL.  this is a hard ride- hills and
deep sand.  on the way to the ride my truck brakes burned up- defective
something on them- and the truck had to be towed away.  ride manager's
husband borrowed a truck to pull my trailer and picked me and Quenby up.
that upset me before the ride even started. I was also physically in bad
shape- cramps from my period and pain from a tooth that needed a root
canal.
So poor Quenby was on her own.  I totally forgot to give electrolytes- did
have about 50 lbs of carrots and bale of hay though.  she ate everything
she could reach- on the trail and at the checks...
Now we were not racing by any means but she finished 9th place
looking wonderful-  A's nearly all the way thru the ride and CRI of 44/42
at the end.
I've never done a ride that brain dead and was lucky Quenby is such a good
eater.   Interesting, though about the electrolytes.  she had none- before/
during or after the ride and did fine.  guess there are maybe enough in the
carrots?  

Happy trails-
Anita Carlson
GA


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.    
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp   
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=