Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

It does not matter what you "think" Dobbin's fitness or
condition is......he is telling you with sore muscles that he is not
ready to do what you are asking him to do. Back up, start over, it takes
months to heal those huge muscles and loosen them up after you overstress
them. Selenium and diet and supplements will not fix overstressed body
parts but they will help to rebuild a stronger horse if you give him time
to recover and heal before resuming hard training.

How much time? He was pulled on Mar.28 and should have had 30 days with
no racing IMHO and only easy training. But two weeks later you tried a
2day-50 and had to stop him during the second 25. IMHO he should not race
again for 60 days with easy training starting May 1st. Only after the
easy training period would I start increasing the training load and then
do a few 25's to test his recovery.

Don Huston 


At 10:05 AM 4/15/2009 Wednesday, you wrote:
> Test his selenium levels first. --
> what is involved? blood test?
>
> Second check over his diet? Does he get grained? Sugars?  
>  
> Yes, I pull him out from other horses
> and feed separate twice a day. He is almost 16 hds, lean racey build. AM
> grain is 1 1/2 large scoops purina omolene 200 (sweet feed) plus 2 cups
> fat supplement. same in PM. Plus a few flakes of alfalfa if he will stay
> stationary while separated long enough to eat it. Just upped his feed
> about 2 weeks ago and added fat supplement because he was losing weight
> (various reasons, new to ride atmosphere, paced, at home paced when I
> tried separating, one of my horses was running him off round bale,
> etc.)
>  
> What type of hay and how much? 
> Daily environment etc? Turned out 24/7 in 3 acre pasture currently
> supplemented w/ coastal hay round bales until my main pastures are ready
> for spring/summer grazing. Turned out w/ other horses - pregnant mares
> and gentle gelding. Doesn't like to be separated. 
>
> What's his conditioning program?  Started conditioning a few weeks
> before first LD in Feb - LSD. 10 to 14 mile trail rides - long slow trots
> or arena type work, some fast trot work - . Now condition lightly between
> rides and before day of ride (1 to 2 hrs).
>  
> What's his temperament and age? He is
> pretty laid back at home when w/ other horses (they are very quiet), but
> herd-bound, nervous on trails. Very strong on bit. 8 yrs old. formerly in
> training for show horse before I bought him. would make an excellent race
> horse! very competitive on trails.
>  
> Donna