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Re: [RC] Problems with electrolytes - heidiBut, IMO, the best thing for a horse like this would be to do the rides as SLOW as possible, using ALL the time allowed. The longer the horse is out on the trail, the more likely it will learn it has to eat and drink. If the horse is zipping through 25's, and getting done in few hours, it has not had time to realize it needs to eat and drink, and take better care of itself. It may be hard and tiring to rate a horse like this, but in the long run, it will pay off, as you will have taught the horse how to take care of itself on the trail. It will learn it does not know how long of a day this is going to be, and it better drink when there is water, and eat when there is food. If the rider gives in to its pulling and wanting to race, then when you move up to longer distances, I feel your chances of metabolic crashes have greatly increased. I am really liking the idea of starting horses on Multi-day rides, going slow, teaching them they need to conserve excess energy, as they might have to go again the next day. I'll know how well this works after this summers XP2004, with one of my horses that I am taking who has very limited experience on rides. I will bet the first day he will be very excited about the other horses on the trail, and want to GO. But he will learn to go slow, and not be allowed to set the pace. Setting the pace is my job........ WELL said, Jonni! I've likewise ALWAYS preferred starting horses on longer distances, but starting with the understanding that it takes three years to "make" a horse or realize his full potential, so we have plenty of time to go slow enough not to do damage while teaching him that it is gonna be a loooooong time 'til sundown, so he'd better make the best of it and figure out how to make his life pleasant. Once he has that figured out, THEN we can start pushing the envelope. That was the main reason why I decided to take one of our not-yet-very-experienced guys on the 75 at Purple Passion--he is one of those extraordinary horses that just "comes out of the box" with the metabolic capability to make 50 a walk in the park, but he doesn't yet have the base to do it fast without blowing his wheels off. It was a REAL eye-opener to him to not only ride at the back of the pack with my good friend Mary Forrester (who I affectionately call "Mileage Mary" because more years than not, she wins the PNER High Mileage award) but to keep going out on yet another loop--and by the hold at 56 miles, he was ravenously buried in the feed bucket and was hoovering up the water like there was no tomorrow. (He actually did drink somewhat well early on, and I think he was better at it for having gone slowly even in the beginning, and not being flummoxed by fast horses going by.) Each vet check his eating improved--he had not been ridden into the ground going too fast so he wasn't off feed due to any sort of metabolic upset, and as the day got longer, he just plain got hungrier! Hallelujah!) It gave him a lot to think about, being out until just after dark, and he darn sure realized that the feed tub and the water bucket were welcome sights! Gotta learn to walk before one can learn to run... Heidi ============================================================ This weekend, many of you are at rides...25's, 50's or 100's. You are the lucky ones. I know you did whatever you had to do to get to 'em. I know that each of you go to 'em with different so-called "goals" in mind...but I also know that each of you cares for your horse and realize that "carrying you" is the least of what he/she does for you. LIFTING YOU is the true effect. ~ Ryder ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/ ============================================================
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