<< m probably way off base here, but I thought one of the reason you
don't feed grains during rides was because the horses blood etc is used
toward maintaining the exercise and away from digesting the grain. I
thought from previous posts the grain could just sit there get sour in
the stomack, causing pains or colic. AND, that hay was used to help
keep the gut moving and absorb moisture.
Or am I totally wrong?
>>
Pretty close. Large boluses of any kind of feed are not too smart on the day
of performance, but smaller feedings of higher potency deliver the necessary
fuel without upsetting the gut.
I was a swimmer in college at about the time (1962) when we were changing
everything around because of what the runners were learning. There came a time
when none of us would compete without a nice carbo load. During marathons, or
even longer races, virtually everyone is taking in glucose and
electrolytes--simple stuff, easy to digest and get into the blood stream.
The absolute wrong combination is a belly full of hay and dehydration.
ti