 |
Re: [RC] 100 mile horse characteristics - heidiTo some extent this may be true, but it is a matter of degree. All you have to do is do in numbers to see the degree they will start out too far behind if they don't drink early. According to: http://www.equiworld.net/uk/horsecare/veterinary/erc/whysweatit.htm an exercising horse loses water from sweat at a rate uwpards to 10 to 15 l/hr. At a sweat rate of 10 to 15 liters per hour and a gram/ml, 10 to 15 liters of water goes at 10 to 15 kilograms (or 22 to 33 pounds) per hour weight loss. If we take 20 miles ( the threshold I set in my original post ) - depending on the conditions, that could add up to 30 to 45 liters (30 to 45 kilograms) of sweat or a 7.5% to 11.25% weight loss from dehydration in a 400 kg horse. From my recollection of most of the studies that have been done most horses - even those that finish well are a little dehydrated. That indicates that they can't make it all up on a 100 mile ride. And I would sure rather not have my horse to have to make up a deficit that was on the verge of clinical dehydration. First off, I do agree that I PREFER to have a horse drink early. That said, many horses can take in as much as 5 gallons in one drink (although the norm is more apt to be 2 or 3). To convert your figures to pounds, multiply by 2.2--the horse may lose as much as 66 to 90+ lbs of water. First off, even many horses that DON'T drink well in the beginning don't lose anywhere NEAR this much weight--which indicates that the numbers are likely on the high side. Secondly, water is 8 lbs per gallon--so a 2-gallon drink is 16 lbs, a 3-gallon drink is 24 lbs, and a 5-gallon drink is 40 lbs. In my experience, the horses that don't start drinking quite as early as one might like but that ARE good drinkers will often REALLY tank up when they first start drinking. So if they take in even 30-40 lbs of water at that point, and then take repeated drinks of 16-24 lbs every 5-6 miles (which is about the frequency of water sets here) it isn't difficult to see that they can indeed rebound fairly quickly. Additionally, horses who EAT well the 48 hours previously and go into the ride with a good gut fill have a TREMENDOUS water reserve in the hindgut. As they pull the water out of that to make it into "road apples" they are kicking SEVERAL more gallons into their circulation--hence they HAVE a water source during those early miles. Just some food for thought. Heidi ============================================================ There is something so magical about being out at night after being on the trail all day on a long 100 with miles left to go. ~ Tom Noll ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/ ============================================================
|