Re: full recovery at vet checks?

[dave & abby bloxsom <cyclone@snet.net>]

CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com wrote:
> 
> In a message dated 2/19/99 10:33:23 PM Pacific Standard Time, Tivers writes:
> 
> << But how long does it take roughage to become useful in this way? I thought
> water was absorbed from the hind gut--that's about 8 hours away from intake,
> isn't it?>>
> 
> Considering that we try to make roughage intake a continuous process, it is
> generally in full swing at the beginning of the ride (the horse should ideally
> have been eating on the trip to the ride site and the entire night before the
> ride, 

. . . and of course, consider the fact that for endurance horses, the
competition is WAY more than 8 hours.  In addition, if they need to
replenish stores of water, electrolytes, energy, during the recovery
period it helps if they're already in the gut when the horse finishes.
Gives the horse a head start on recovery.

-Abby