Lethargic horse - help!

["Annette Gordon" <agordon@worldofwonder.net>]

Hi all 

I haven't posted to ridecamp for a while but I have a decision to make and I
wonder if anyone has any similar experiences or advice to offer. 

My Appaloosa, Spot, has lately become rather lethargic. 

I'm doing a 30 mile ride this Sunday over fairly easy terrain. It won't be hot
weather and he's already done a 20 mile ride and a 25 mile ride last month
finishing in good shape with low heart rates and everything else was fine too
- his back, urine, body temperature. 

I had a blood test done a week or so ago and the results were negative in
terms of a virus also no evidence of muscle enzyme levels being high so no
tying up lurking around the corner. 

Last weekend I pulled out of a 20 mile ride because this lethargy worried me.
I thought if I give him another week away from competeing that he would be
better rested. The 20 miler and the 25 miler were done on successive weekends,
the 25 miler was quite tough - I thought he might be a bit pooped. It's really
his first season competeing, last year he only did a 20 and a 30 miler. 

Last Saturday I did a 10 mile training ride over hilly terrain at speed. I did
it with the heart rate monitor on board. Up the steepest hill the rate was
between 110 and 140 peaking at 150 and then dropping again back to between 90
and 120. This seemed fine to me

So what do I do about the ride this weekend. Do I pull out because he is still
lethargic? Do I go and monitor him very closely and if he's still lacking in
enthusiasm then pull out half way round? Any advice anyone? 

I'm in the UK and other endurance friends over here have suggestted that it
could be the changing weather (we've had very changeable spring weather) or it
was suggestted that he's settling down to the job. 

When I originally began long distance he would get very excited and try and
gallop the whole way round. The first 2 rides of the season he calmed right
down and got on with the job. So is this lethargy part of that or what. 

Do horses who get fitter and kick into the long distance thing change like
this and become very economical with themselves? I just don't know. 

Help!

annette


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