Re: Drugs/rules--"intangible" nutrients

Tivers@aol.com
Wed, 11 Dec 1996 18:35:22 -0500

In a message dated 96-12-11 15:05:29 EST, you write:
Linda:
<< Right now, as the rule stands, if you are only trying to prevent damage to

your horse, and not trying to enhance performance, you could still break
the rule, DMG and MSM excluded. >>

Enhanced performance is another bugaboo. We want enhanced performance. If the
horse doesn't swoon halfway through the event, that's enhanced performance.
If he comes through a vet check bouncing and smiling, that's enhanced
performance.

What we don't want is to feed or inject something that will cause the horse
to be overused and thereby abused.

In horseracing, we try to do everything we can to get the horse to perform at
peak without causing harm to the animal (I'm speaking for myself here). But
one of the problems is that, when the horse wins, he must then race in a
higher class--suddenly we're asking for even more. The solution is to build
an athlete that is far superior to the challenge--but then, we have to make
sure that all facets of his training and racing environment are optimal,
including nutritional support--before, during, and after the event. This will
improve performance. The horse will do better in competition. That's what
competition is about.

ti