Re: Electrolyting for Endurance Competition

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

> love2ride lcranch@ramcell.net
> I'd like to gather opinions on when the best time to start electrolyting a
horse for endurance competition.  I've heard days before, not until the
morning of, not until the first vet check, etc., etc.
>
> What do all of you think?

There is an increasing amount of research from all quarters that is
indicating that as a whole, endurance riders don't e'lyte their horses early
enough or often enough, and it's showing up as dehydration and/or metabolic
problems/depletion.  Even in horses that "seem to be fine", we're seeing
blood work that indicates deficiencies, and there's a hypothesis (mine) that
the secondary dehydration is possibly causing chronic renal damage to the
higher performing animals.  Much more research needed in that area.

Having said that, I strongly recommend starting e'lyting a day or two before
you leave for a ride.  The body doesn't store extra e'lytes, but it will
kick in a thirst response to encourage the horse to drink before, during and
immediately after trailering.  I'd recommend another dose right after you
unload, another dose last thing at night, and then another dose when you get
up in the morning.  Again, this isn't replacing e'lytes per se, this is
encouraging drinking---because the data is showing that the majority of
horses in a ride are *starting* rides clinically dehydrated, in other words,
they're dehydrated from trailering and then not replacing that fluid during
the night.

The concensus also from various qualified sources is that if you wait until
the horse "needs" electrolytes during a ride, then you've waited too long.
There are all kinds of implications having to do with fluid shifts, stomach
cramps in an empty stomach from too big a dose of e'lytes, etc etc etc.
Most if not all of the downsides can be avoided if you give small, frequent
doses by the clock, not by the mileage.  That is, set your watch to beep for
another dose every hour or two hours, don't dose "every ten miles" because
of course not all miles are created equal.  The time frequency should be
based on how hot and humid the ride is, how hard the horse is working,
difficulty of the terrain, etc.

Some people can do this and get away with it, but don't rely on thinking the
horse will eat what he needs if you just offer him salt free-choice at
checks.  That mechanism takes hours to catch up to need, and by the time
your horse decides he wants some salt, he probably needed it four hours ago.
Depending on the brand of e'lyte you choose, one to two ounces mixed up with
some applesauce or something similar in a 60 cc syringe is about right.  As
long as you keep the doses small and frequent and consistent, and offer the
horse water whenever available, you won't run into trouble unless something
else is drastically wrong.  Where e'lytes can start to cause problems is
when it's given too late, too large a dose, on an empty stomach and/or after
the horse is already depleted of substrates.  And don't stop giving e'lytes
as soon as the ride is through---it takes a day or so for the body to
recover from a ride and an extra dose or two of e'lytes will help him do
that.

Last thought, take advantage of the brands out there specifically formulated
for endurance horses.  Distance horse's sweat "differently" than horses just
lolling around the pasture and there's been alot of research gone into
figuring out just what they need.  You don't need the fancy formulas at
home, but while at a ride, take advantage of the high-priced talent gone
into specific formulas.  There is no single "best" formula, just try a few,
talk to people and decide what works best for you.

Good luck,

Susan G