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RE: [RC] electrolytes - Steph TeeterGood question Scott - I bet you get a variety of answers. For me (and John) - as with everything else, 'it depends'. For a slow ride, which we do often, I usually don't electrolyte at all, just some P&W in their soaked grain (sometimes). That's all we did for 1000 miles of the 2001 XP. But we rode SLOW. And the horses went alternate days and they had plenty of opportunity to eat and rehydrate. For fast/competitive rides I will give the recommended dose of Endura Max (2 oz at each vet check) mixed with either yoghurt or a stomach buffer (Absorbine makes a 'peptobismol' for horses that I used at the PAC). I have also heard of mixing a little oil with the electrolytes so they mix better, and are a bit more palatable - the oil softens the harshness of the salts. I haven't tried this yet, but it seems like a good idea. The biggest problem I see with administering electrolytes is that there seems to be an attitude that giving more electrolytes will make up for riding too fast. I believe some horses can compete at the top w/o electrolytes, I also believe that it is wise to replace salts that are lost during competition with electrolyte dosing, BUT - if the horse is ridden beyond it's natural ability, or beyond it's level of training and preparation, then no amount of electrolytes or probiotics or carbos will help the horse. In fact, they might actually cause more harm than good. You can't get back what has already been lost (electrolytes, glycogen) w/o adequate rest. And if the body isn't properly hydrated, the system simply isn't working efficiently. You can't 'fix' a tired or dehydrated horse during one vet check. You might be able to bring them back to an acceptable level if you're willing to slow down or take extra time during the hold. But just giving more electrolytes (or whatever) won't do the trick. Steph -----Original Message----- From: ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Scott Johnson Sent: Sunday, September 21, 2003 1:57 AM To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [RC] electrolytes Ok, now I'm really curious- Electrolytes: how much, how often, and how do you give it (as in mixed with something else)? How long have you been doing it that way, and do you feel it is working for your horse? Thanks for those willing to give their input. Dede Team Slow Poke =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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