I've been seeing a lot lately about overhydration and the use of elytes and
IV's etc.,
and at first I was very concerned and thought about how I've been
using elytes. It made me think back to 1979 (yes, I'm that old), my first
endurance ride. I was in my late teens, I was riding a 21 year
old Standardbred that I had been doing 3 day eventing on for years and
decided to give endurance a try. We didn't have heart monitors (or at
least the group I was with didn't have access to them), we didn't use
electrolytes (except in our feed at the end of the ride), beet pulp was for
cows, we didn't load any carbs, we didn't have easy boots.......
we just rode our horses, watched them closely, carried our stethoscopes and
a watch with a second hand (no digital watches yet), knew how to check our
horses hydration the old fashioned way, fed hay at every stop, let them
drink as much as THEY wanted, and let them rest if they needed
it........and that was the way it was. I am just now getting back into it,
and learning about all this new technology and using elytes and special
feeds... it kind of scares me. I know knowledge is a good thing and the
horses now can go much farther and are in better condition, but I do
long for the good old days. I've decided to use parts of the new
stuff and keep some of the old stuff until I feel more comfortable with it
all. (I'm getting some Epic boots, but I will not use elytes during a
ride, however I will use beet pulp, but not a HRM...I'm staying with my trusty
old stethoscope and watch, and I'm going to try to have fun and enjoy my
horse.) Don't get me wrong, I read everything and want to be up on the
latest science has to offer, but until I truly understand it, I feel I can do
more harm than good , and I would never do that to my horse. There's an
old saying.....A little knowledge is dangerous.....
