Re: electrolyte supplementation

[Truman Prevatt <truman.prevatt@netsrq.com>]

>
> However, one MUST know one's horse, and
>not do it just because "everybody" does it. 

Very true.  At a distance clinic a rider was trying to get the speaker to
give a magic heart rate at which to run her horse.  The answer was don't
use someone elses numbers - learn your horse and know his numbers.

The same is true for electrolyte supplementation.  This is horse specific
and region specific.  In the arid climates there is a significant loss of
water through the lungs.  The mosture from the lungs is absorbed into the
dry air and the air leaves the lungs at a much higher humidity that it
enters.  The loss of water in this manner does not result in eletrolyte loss.

Many years ago when I ski patroled we carted many a people off the mountain
with severe dehydaration not brought on by sweating but by breathing.

Now compair this to the humid southeast where the air going in the lungs is
about as humid as the air in the lungs.  Most of the water loss comes from
sweating.  Electrolytes are also lost in this manner.  In humid conditions
evporative cooling is not as efficient so more sweat is produce and more
electrolytes lost.

I would suspect from the mere physics of the situtation that electrolyte
supplementation is much more of an issue in the southeast than the west.  I
would also suspect that over supplementation would be more of an issue in
the west than the southeast.

Know your horse, know your physics and use your head.

Truman