Re: Rice Bran

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

I'm not sure I see a pathway whereby rice bran is directly going to
'decrease energy output' differently than corn oil.  There just isn't all
that much difference in how the body metabolizes the fats in rice bran
versus how it would metabolize corn oil/vegetable oil.  I suspect that there
are two reasons why your husband's horse is tuckering out.  One, if he's
still skinny, then he doesn't have the energy reserves that he would at a
heavier weight and just putting on weight will benefit his performance.  We
did some pretty extensive research that showed thin horses get tired
quicker, have more metabolic problems and so on.

Two, if you're feeding rice bran or fat of any kind during the ride itself,
then he isn't getting enough energy input during the ride to keep the engine
running.  Fats are metabolized much more slowly than carbohydrates are, and
fat calories really aren't available for work output during a ride.  In
addition, they slow gastric emptying, so that food moves slower through the
digestive tract and again, you're not deriving the energy you need during
the ride.  That *might* have been what your vet was referring to when he
commented about fats decreasing energy output, though any form of fat will
do that, not just rice bran.

Rather than re-inventing the wheel, you might want to read the series on my
website about Beating the Metabolic Pull
( http://www.shady-acres.com/susan/ ).  It goes into hydration, motility and
energy balance in pretty exhaustive (excruciating) detail and gives a pretty
good primer on the different things that could be factors in why your horse
is pooping out early.  I know it doesn't seem as though hydration could
affect energy, but it does, and so does gut motility.  Anyway, my
suggestions aren't the end-all-and-be-all, but you might give them a look.
I've gotten a ton of good feedback form alot of people that it's worked well
for them.

Good luck.

Susan G

----- Original Message -----
From: <guest@endurance.net>
To: <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Sent: Tuesday, April 24, 2001 11:41 AM
Subject: RC: Rice Bran


> Sue Chandler windyhill@wcnet.org
> I was reading the questions and answers about rice bran.  My
> husband's horse was also skinny when we bought him and a hard
> keeper so I put him on rice bran - just a cup in the morning and
> a cup at night along with his 10% sweet feed and oats.  He did
> gain weight and look much better but since feeding the stableized
> Moorman's Ricebran, he has pooped out at about 40 miles.  We
> just tried the Chicken Chase 50 miler and even taking into
> account the change in terrain this year, we went much slower than
> last year and he tuckered out quicker.  My husband was convinced
> it had to be our feed since my horse had been getting rice bran
> also and gained weight.  Our pulses were still great-no problem
> there and they ate and drank along trail and at stops with no
> problem.  When my husband asked the ride vet about this, he
> agreed it was the rice bran and said you can run into metabolic
> problems and said we should just feed corn oil for fat.
>
> Has anyone else ever heard this before?  I always read that
> rice bran was great for adding weight, but the vet says it will
> decrease the energy output and you get better results with the
> oil.  Thanks.
>
>
>
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