After decades of lectures from our doctors on how we should cut down on our salt intake or we will die, we then take a full syringe of the stuff and force it down our beloved equines. To top that off, we convince ourselves it is good for them. Don't get me wrong, I am not against elytes for endurance...I am just concerned that it is being overdone.
I've heard the same thing about over-dosing with electrolytes (and some vitamins). Doing so is a really good way to watch your cash flow go from your hand to the ground beneath your horse, really fast.
I would think ODing on electrolytes would make a horse sluggish... similar to you or me ingesting too much salt.
I always worried about over-elyting and so dosed minimally as well. It worked until my last 50, which was hotter than we had trained for due to the sudden change in weather. Since I?d never elyted this horse before I used smaller than called for doses. Unfortunately, it caused thumping at the end of the ride, so no completion (:<(.I had e-lyted before we started and at each vet check, I?d skipped about 3 or 4 water stops. I will dose a little heavier and more frequently from now on.
Regarding the preloading the days prior to the ride, I know many do it and swear by the protocol, but I?ve read that the horse?s body will just eliminate the extras, and that you only need to elyte them for what they are going to be losing in the next couple of hours. Does anyone know if this is accurate?
Kathy
Beth wrote:
The electrolytes I currently have (nobody mentioned them - AppleLyte crystals) I use pretty sparingly, and only on really hot days or before a race. I knew that you could over-dose on elytes, so I generally add it to his beet pulp the night before. If I get heavy- handed, my horse won't eat it, so that limits me to giving him about a quarter of what the directions call for. I mostly use them to try and get him to drink reallywell before the ride.
