Drugs/Normal substances

Flemmer, Linda (LFlemmer@CHKD.com)
Mon, 9 Dec 1996 16:15:15 -0500

Ray,
>You wrote:
>I know rule 13 has been a source of controversy since it's inception
>but
>it does give us the general guideline that no normally internally
>occuring
>substance should be administered to an endurance horse in competition
>in abnormal amounts. Detectable or not!
>-----------------------------------------------------------

While I don't want to be contentious, this rule had it's problems as you
have paraphrased it. We can all agree that electrolytes are "normally
internally occurring substance(s)". Were we to follow this rule, we
would not be administering electrolytes to our horses thru the ride. We
all recognize that a horse would most likely not finish a hot, lengthy
ride without them, so they are definitely "performance enhancing". We
are certainly administering larger quantities (read abnormal quantities)
than the horse may be willing or able to consume if left to his own
devices.

Where do electrolytes fall in this? Are they specifically addressed in
the supplement regarding drugs? (I have never received that supplement,
so I am in the dark here.) If they aren't, should they be?

Linda Flemmer
>