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Re: [RC] what's the point... - Susan GarlinghouseHoward wrote: "Trust me, when a vibrant, healthy, well conditioned horse gets into metabolic trouble at a ride, especially if it has to be put on IV or dies, it is endurance related. " Ed wrote: Howard I respectfully disagree with this statement. I almost lost Ranger to a colic at a ride two years ago. The circumstances were: FWIW, Ed, I agree more with Howard than I do you in this case. I'm not saying the horse you almost lost colicked because of anything you did wrong at a ride. It may have been pure coincidence. BUT, there are a lot of additional and significant stress factors that DO normally occur on the way to and at a ride that normally would not occur at home. We know that based on research data that tells us (forgive the editorial "we") that experienced horses well managed during travel nevertheless very often arrive at base camp and start the ride with electrolyte imbalances (and lest we start that discussion again, we're usually talking deficiencies, not excesses); with hematological changes indicating stress factors, dehydration and sometimes significant muscle fatigue. And that's before you even start the doggone ride. It may appear that there's no difference between base camp and a ride out the back gate at home, but physiologically speaking from the horse's point of view...there is. It's just not always easily recognized. I'm not saying we're risking death just by going to a ride. I *am* saying that Howard is right in that we shouldn't pussyfoot around and pretend that endurance is not a stressful event, and that 99% of the time, metabolic trouble occurring at a ride is occurring *because* that horse is at a ride. Susan Garlinghouse, DVM =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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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