RE: [RC] Speaking of beet pulp... - Alan Kay - Susan E. Garlinghouse, DVM
>Also, yes, electrolyes the eve before & morning of
the ride are appropriate. Some >riders
feel that the electrolyting should begin Thursday nite for a Saturday ride, >others say there’s no need to start that
early since it’ll be flushed out if the excess >isn’t
needed the way it is on ride day.
The reasoning for e’lyting for several days before a ride
isn’t so much for actual supplementation of the electrolytes themselves,
as it is for increasing plasma sodium levels a bit, which in turn stimulates
the thirst response and encourages good water intake (as does forage intake, a
good reason to stand them knee deep in hay the week before a ride). Just
a way to help increase hydration before trailering and before the ride so that
hopefully they don’t start out with less than a full water tank.
But yes, they will pee out the excess. There’s no need to use the
fancy-shmancy endurance-formulated elytes before the ride, just some salt mixed
into yogurt or applesauce will do fine for the purpose. J
