Hot weather syndrome

[Sarah Ralston <ralston@AESOP.RUTGERS.EDU>]

Just to add my two cents worth as a rider who had a horse with metabolic
problems LAST year but who managed to avoid them on three very tough rides
(first 80 miles of both the NJ and NY 100 CTR's, where we were pulled for
lameness on the morning of the third day of both, and Old Dominion 50). It
was not easy, especially at the CTR's. All three rides had horses on IV's
by the first day, several of whom were seasoned competitors, as John and
Sue have pointed out. 

The main difference this year, I think, is that the vets are much more
aware of the benefits of putting even marginal horses on fluid therapy and
ready and willing to do so at the drop of a hat! Last year I had to ask and
finally insist that my mare be put on fluids. The comment was made that
they were reluctant to do so because "it looked bad". The same vet team,
this year, were hanging fluids on horses that were not nearly as bad as
mine was-to hell with appearances! Don't know whythe change in attitude but
I personnally applaud it,  though it is un-nerving to the other
competitors. Perhaps ride management should take a cue from the 3-day
people and have a separate, very secluded treatment area where they can
hang their bags out of sight of the general public!

Another factor was the extreme weather-a really cool spring with no
transition to hot and steammy right at the beginning of the hard ride
season. We conditioned in cool, then competed in steam. In July and August
it was too $#^# hot to train for most of us, except the most dedicated. 

The electrolytes issue is a complex one. I have ALMOST gotten my mare
figured out-but suffice it to say that each horse is an individual and what
works for one may not work for another. Just because one product works on
Joe's horse doesn't mean that the same amounts and type will be right for
mine! Unfortunately all I can recommend is to monitor, monitor, monitor
when you are training using a product-if you don't like the results, get
blood drawn after a hard ride to see where your imbalances are (I admit I
haven't done this yet, only because I think I found by trial and error the
right combo for Fling).

Would like to know what the ride vets feel about this....

Sarah and Fling (I love this vacation, Mom!)


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