> In a message dated 96-10-14 13:16:39 EDT, you write:
>
> << SOME vets need to be fooled >>
IIf there are indeed some vets out there that are incapable of evaluating
the condition of an endurance horse, what these vets need is not to be
"fooled" but to be removed from vetting endurance rides..
Unfortuantely, most of the "tricks" for fooling a vet are not really
tricks for fooling the vet, they are tricks for fooling the horse into
thinking that its metabolic condition is different from what it really is.
A classic example of this is pinching off your horse's nostrils (i.e.
restricting his air supply) to lower his heart rate. This will
(generally) reduce his heart rate by causing the parasympathetic nervous
system to kick in (which slows down all body functions, most notably the
cardiovascular system). Though the horse's heart rate has been reduced, in no way can this horse
be described as "recovered" In fact, what you have done is compromise
the oxygen supply of a horse that is already oxygen starved.
Additionally, all of these "trickss" are fairly short lived, as the horse
is only fooled for so long. If you happen to get your horse to the vet
(or P&R person) before the horse figures out that he has been fooled,
then you can fool the official too.
No matter how badly you may believe that "some vets" need to be fooled.
There are no horses that need to be fooled.
kat
Orange County, Calif.