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Re: [RC] Competing without elytes - Diane TrefethenLaura Hayes wrote: I answered Liz privately, as I have expressed my opinion here, more than once. But I will summarize: I have not used elytes in over a year now- a hot mountainous 75 mile win, BCs, top tens, lots of completions on five different horses in several regions.Liz's primary concern was with whether she could safely eliminate using electrolytes during a ride. "...I really don't like to over use e-lytes, I would love to eliminate the use altogether.." You have eliminated them successfully. Your implication is that she might be able to do so too. It would seem we agree. Although I have only 1000 miles, most of that was done without the benefit of electrolytes. I have to comment on the current 'sweat' issue. It started when Liz said her horse has thick foamy sweat at the beginning of the rideNo she didn't. She said, "My horse Dortel, is an off the track Arab., he is a poor drinker and is a very nervous horse. He pours sweat the first 15 miles of a ride." Her horse's voluminous sweat may indeed be "thick foamy sweat" but that's not what she said. ---some horses do that---it is not an indication of lack of condition, but results from a nervous horse who is working too hard.Excessive sweating and getting lathered are two separate issues. The former can be observed in a fit horse who is nervous or trying to cool itself. Thick, foamy sweat, which contains a considerable amount of electrolytes and is NOT just white from aeration (the difference can be seen when the horse dries; lather leaves a fair amount of salty residue, clear sweat does not), is usually observed in horses who have not been conditioned to the point where they sweat efficiently. If your "main horse, Equal Terms does it every ride. She is certainly fit", then it would seem a fit horse CAN sweat a substantial amount of electrolytes. However, until your post, I had never seen or read of a horse that was in great condition who had that thick, salty lather (even the little bit of scrunge between the cheeks turns clear with conditioning) while I have seen many unfit horses all lathered up. It is also worth noting that sweat combined with dust and sloughed off skin cells can create a lather but it is usually dirtier looking and not necessarily salty. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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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