Carbs- Only part of the picture

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From: Barb Peck 
Email: bpeck@us.ibm.com

Man-o-man you guys are really going to town on this topic.  Actually, this is good cause it forces out some good discussions. Here's what I've gotten out of it (and some of the discussions re-inforce what I already thought, but some of it has been food for thought).
1)  All horses are individuals and have to be treated that way, that includes training and feeding AND recognizing when the individual is or is NOT suited to a particular job.
2) Treatment during the early years, i.e stabled vs free-range has an impact in later life (balance, agility, bone-density, maturity etc)
3) Easy keeper & Hard keepers may or MAY NOT be born that way.  Metabolism is affected by many things, and *can* and do change as the horse ages, or changes owners (what does that tell you ?)
4)  Feed the work.
5) After an individual is at the peak of performance, then (and only then) will additional supplements (what ever that may be) give an edge.
6) Some individuals are naturally more athletic and posess the other qualities to excell at some type of sport and *will* excell without much help.
7) Nothing will ever take the place of experience  (That's why Tom/Heidi  discussions are so good). 
8)Nature vs nuture... that one horsemen will be debating  for years.
Speaking of horsemen....... alot of people own horses, but very few are horsemen.
 

Barb