>>>>> >
> Perhaps someone out there would then explain to me why a horse with NO gut
> sounds in most likely going to get into trouble if allowed to continue in
> competition. I have seen many horses PULLED from competition due to lack
of
> gut sounds...
> Teddy
> OK, I'm not the one who should be commenting on this, but since no one
else has.
I know Teddy and others with much more experience than I know that
diminished gut sounds
are one of several signals that the horse is stressed. At the first vet
check I don't
have a problem with it (assuming other signs look OK) The horse has been
working hard
and some digestive blood flow has been diverted, heat stress, what else?
But if they
don't return by the lunch vet check I think you'll start to see other
factors showing
up. (Loss of appetite, fatigue etc.) I decided to answer this post to again
stress my
feeling that 99% of what we are trying to accomplish with our horses can be
done with
well established principles. These additives, probiotics, etc. are not a
shortcut for
adequate training of both the horse and RIDER. So I feel Tom's post of not
knowing what
gut sounds genuinely mean could lead some new riders to discounting them
totally.
Something I don't think Tom meant to do.
Jim Mitchell
Bakersfield, Ca.
>>>>>
Jim: I was hoping someone would tell me exactly what is going on INSIDE the
horse and why diminished gutt sounds are cause for IMPENDING problems, hence
immediate concern. I, too, feel that by using Pro-Bi, yogurt or whatever, we
should think about the causes..not just the cures.
Teddy