Re: RC: Tieing up

[Tivers@aol.com]

In a message dated 2/18/00 12:49:25 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
hn.heather@wanadoo.fr writes:

<< Ti wrote:
 
 > That informatino is ancient and incorrect (that fitness lasts forever).
 
 Not forever but longer than human athletes.  Yes?  No?>

No. Athletic horses are simply not brought to the level of fitness that human 
athletes are, so there is less fitness to lose. The fitter you get the horse, 
the more easily that fitness will be lost with time off.
 
 > In most horses it is not necessary to train every day, but the fitter they
 get,  the more consistent the daily exercise should be.>

Yes.
 
 >OK this I understand, so you ARE basically saying that the horse should
 receive some formal exercise (not just turned out in his field) every day?>

Yes
 
  >In a very fit horse, two or three days "off" can be big trouble
 
 Sure this I understand as well and with the exercise routine I've used up
 until now with fit horses (two short intense training sessions & one LSD
 session per week) the most they'll get off is 2 days.
 
 Of course we don't live in an ideal world and sometimes the weather or
 something intervenes so they get their rations cut.  However I understand
 you're saying that this won't prevent tieing up.>

Right.
 
 >What would your "back to work" routine be with, say, Nayla, once her muscle
 enzymes are back to normal?>

I'd go back to light work immediately. 

>  What are normal values in your opinion?>

I'm happy with CK under 1,000--nice if it's under 300. AST, under 1,000.

 > I've
 heard more than one vet say that endurance horses tend to have higher muscle
 enzyme values than other competition horses.  Have you heard this?>

They do--sometimes gigantic numbers. But the fitter they get the more the 
numbers approach normal values 
 
 >. When a horse goes into the syndrome,
 > then daily, fuel-depleting  exercise is necessary for a while.
 
 How do you manage this with a horse in the "syndrome" as surely they are
 supposed to be rested until said muscle enzymes are back to normal?  Or am I
 misunderstanding what you're saying?>

They're not to be rested You need to flush out the debris through muscle 
circulation and prevent further damage via free radicals.  
 
> Thanks for your help.  You're very generous with your advice and its much
 appreciated.  By the way most of the answers are probably in your book but
 its size is a bit daunting!  will get to read it properly soon.
 
 Heather
 France>

The book was written in 1995--I'm twice as smart now.

ti
  >>