Re: pulses and gut sounds

["LAURIE AND WADE PEARSON" <WADEPEARSON@worldnet.att.net>]

Steph's reply:

> If there is one BIG thing we can do to improve our horses' peformance
> it is adequate conditioning. Electrolytes are very important, yes,
> especially over longer distances and hot/humid conditions. But
> most of the things we do - probiotics, supplements - are of little
> value - and of no use if the horse is not fit for the work it is
> asked to do.
>

I often wondered about the gut sounds. I took my 5 year old mare up to
Wesley Million Pines last April. We had already planned to go, but my
gelding had a bruised heal. I took my race mare and took a shot at a slow 50
miler. I know from conditioning she could do 8 miles per hour all day. So
that was my goal, and I finished in 6:51.

But the gut sounds where my concern. She did not want to eat at the
v-checks. My last loop I was very worried about her. Some one said give her
probiotics it will give her gut sounds. I just don't want to give her gut
sounds, I want them to work properly. So when I reached a big field down the
trail, I pulled her off and let her graze for 20 minutes. At the next creek
we paused for a while and she drank real good. I put her bit back in and off
we went.

When we returned to camp she dove into her food and trotted out for the vet
like a pro. The person who made the probiotic suggestion said, you don't
have to check for gut on the final check. THAT WAS NOT THE POINT!

Do these products help the horse or just fool the system? My vet said no no
no. I think it would be best if you horse ate, drank and trotted out without
artificial stimulants or whipping. But my father always said that opinions
are like "donkey holes" everyone has one....

Laurie