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RE: [SPAM] RE: [RC] Taking horses to higher elevations - heidiI disagree. There is a huge difference in the amount of oxygen available at 8000-10000 feet versus sea level. Those of us (animals and humans) who live at sea level have less red blood cells than those who live at higher levels. Even in good shape, you will suffer from oxygen deprivation, which will show in several different ways. If you are in really good shape, you might just breath alot heavier (which is what I did when I went from sea level to 5500 on vacation and went horseback riding on a borrowed horse. You are right about humans. But do remember that horses have a huge splenic reserve of red blood cells, and that those will enter the circulation when there is a need. High elevation and subsequent lower available oxygen will cause them to release some of those red cells into circulation, thereby allowing them to meet their oxygen needs fairly easily. With regard to humans, those of us raised at higher elevations seem to retain that adaptation, even if we later live at lower elevations. I was raised at 5000' with frequent forays to 8500' or so. Later in life, even though I lived at just over 2000' for several years, I had no difficulty going hiking at 10,000'. Had I never lived at higher elevations, I wonder if that might have been more difficult. Heidi =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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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