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Re: [RC] [SPAM] [RC] Pounds of hay - Eleanor KellonOn Feb 6, 2008 11:45 AM, <heidi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Again, all that matters (probably, we're not sure of this) is what they ate in the 4 hours prior to starting time. The amount actually "stored" inside the intestinal tract is pretty small. Within 4 hours of eating, electrolyte content of the feed will have equilibrated across the intestine and excess excreted.
and will continue to pretty much eat anything put in front of them at vet checks, they are still well within the ballpark in all but the most extreme circumstances, given that the faster they go, they may sweat more profusely but for less time between vet checks when they will eat again, and that the slower they go, the longer between vet checks (but if going slow, I am also more apt to allow grazing on the trail) but the less copiously they will sweat unless the ambient conditions are extreme. If we're talking about hay only (not cubes or pellets) and if the hay does indeed have 0.75% chloride, at the lowest sweating rates if they're never going longer than 4 hours between eating and are always eating at least 8 pounds of hay for every hour riding, you're probably covered. If eating less than that, or sweating heavier, you go into the negative zone and have to play catch up.
There's been a lot of discussion about the best way to feeding during a ride, but not much along the lines of actually checking to back it up. It would be very interesting to see how different feeding practices influence them metabolically.
Eleanor -- Eleanor M. Kellon, V.M.D. Equine Nutritional Solutions 58 Maple Farm Road Ephrata, PA 17522
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