Re: RC: Re: overweight an issue? - Weight vs. lean mass

["Susan Garlinghouse" <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>]

> This seems to be a pretty key question, about which you have a fundamental
> disagreement.    Tom/Susan - correct me if I am wrong in my synopsis here:
>
> Without getting into serious extremes of weight for either horse or rider
,
> and assuming for the sake of discussion that fitness variables are
> standardized -
>
>  Susan seems to be saying that the TOTAL weight (horse and rider) is more
> "costly"  from the standpoint of lamenesses, and that so far her work
shows
> no difference in regards to metabolic problems [i.e. even a heavier rider
is
> better off with a lighter horse?]

Within reason, apparently so, but *only* if the horse is in good condition
(fatness-wise).



> If I have the disagreement straight, Tom certainly seems to have common
sense
> [an oxymoron for sure] on his side, but Susan seems to have the only field
> trial data on hers.

Yup.  You can rely on old beliefs, or you can go looking for better answers.


Susan G