Re: electrolytes

Truman Prevatt (truman.prevatt@netsrq.com)
Tue, 25 Nov 1997 13:41:13 -0500

>Lysane,
>
> Opinions vary on whether electrolytes are needed for 25 mile
>distances. I like to give them to my mare when I do the 25 milers
>with her. They are not going to hurt her even if she doesn't
>really need them. Paste electrolytes are legal for all distances
>in endurance, but have been illegal in some CTR organizations.
>In many of these CTR groups you also have to carry everthing you
>use during the ride on the horse - so unless your horse will eat
>"electrolyte cookies - there are recipes in the archives" you are
>pretty much limited to giving electrolytes at camp, either in feed
>or water.
>
>Teresa

It depends on the weather conditions. In hot humid - particularly humid -
conditions then even for 25 miles I would reccomdend the use of
electrolytes before the ride, at the first vet check and after the ride
(assuming all the disclaimers of proper hydration, etc.). A horse can
crash in 10 miles - believe it. At my ride last year the there was a cold
front moving through and the humidity was sever - even by FL standards. A
few of the 25 miler ignored the vets (all of the vets) advice of slowing
down during the first part of the ride.

Of the 85 riders the two treatment cases were 25 milers. The first one was
a tie up at 13 miles - the vet check. The second treatment was a tie up at
25 miles. The first tie up had to be trasnsported to UF vet school after
the treatment worked six hours to get it stabilized. Both horses recovered.

Truman

Truman Prevatt
Mystic "The Horse form Hell" Storm with a lille hellion on the way
The Rockman, a.k.a Misty Jr.
Jordy - Finaly getting his shot

Sarasota, FL