Re: RC: SERA convention notes - long

[Rides 2 Far <rides2far@juno.com>]

>How do they know this?  Have they field tested endurance horses to
>prove >this theory?  How many horses completing multidays have been
tested? 

I sat through the same lecture, learned some things, and disagreed with
some things.

I think everyone underestimates the difference between the conditions in
the west and the east.  We have water on the trail (usually), we have
water in the air (humidity), and we have forage on the trail, and vet
checks every 12-15 miles (usually)  What has proven very true here seems
to not be the case out west.  The fact that Steph has been so successful
in the west, and her horse's pulse hung in Fla. is a good example.  The
advice I got on electrolytes sounded right on to me and was pretty much
what I had come up with on my own (without all the symbols and formulas).
 The speakers were southerners.  I don't know if what they recommended
would be appropriate for out west. When I'm going down the trail I can
let Kaboot grab bites of grass.  I suppose if I crossed lots of open
desert, carbo loading would make more sense to me. 

One thing they said, that I didn't challenge but totally disagreed with
was that we shouldn't let our horses eat any forages they weren't used to
at a ride.  They insinuated you could "train" them to eat out of their
own pile.  I totally disagree with the idea of pulling my horse's nose
out of any hay that someone has told me to help myself to.  I may not let
him eat from another horse's grain, but if he's not eating, and then
shows interest in someone's peanut hay which he's never had, I'll sure
let him have it.

Angie

________________________________________________________________
YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET!
Juno now offers FREE Internet Access!
Try it today - there's no risk!  For your FREE software, visit:
http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.